Road Work Ahead!

 

Scripture

 John 17:17-19

¹⁷ [Jesus prayed] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.  (NRSVUE)

Devotion

 Making the drive between Wadesboro and Charlotte is not exactly high up on my list of favorite things to do.  After a meeting at the presbytery office this morning, I decided to avoid some of the traffic by taking a route through the countryside.  Usually, taking the "long way" is a calm and enjoyable experience.  Today, though, I hit every kind of construction known to man.  Road construction.  Building construction.  Even tree trimming and playground construction.  All of it seemed designed to slow me down, get in my way, or send me along a slightly different path than the one I intended.

At first, I was frustrated by this turn of events.  But then, as I sat in yet another line of cars waiting for yet another orange-vested individual to turn the sign from "Stop" to "Slow," a still, small voice said, "maybe there's a lesson for you here."  And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the voice was right.  There was a lesson there: a lesson about our Christian walk through life and the process of sanctification.

"The Shorter Catechism" for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) defines sanctification as "the work of God’s free grace, where we are renewed in the whole [human] after the image of God, and enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness."  In other words, sanctification is the process of God transforming us into the holy people we were created to be.  That transformation takes place our whole life long--in some cases smoothly, but more often in fits and starts.   It is made possible because God's grace has already united us with Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Once we are united with Christ, we can grow to be more and more like him.

The sanctification process is a lot like driving through one long construction project.  Step by step, year by year, we do our best to grow in God's word and live in God's ways so that we may die to sin and live into righteousness.  Our faith journey, though, is rarely as straight and smooth as we would like.  We encounter roadblocks, obstacles, and detours.  We learn there are sins we need to go back and make up for before we can move forward.  We encounter trials and tribulations that slow us down to a near standstill.  That's just a few of the things we have to contend with during our sanctification.  And while we may pull over to stretch our legs and in order to catch our breath and assess our progress from time to time, our journey is never quite finished.  We continue to die to sin and live into righteousness our whole lives long.

I'll admit that the road to sanctification through the construction zone of life can be long, confusing, and frustrating.  It can even feel like that we're never going to get where we are trying to go and become the holy, transformed people God calls us to be.  The Good News is that all who have faith in Christ will reach the goal.  For while our sanctification is an ongoing process, the salvation we have already received through Jesus Christ guarantee that it will be completed.  The Westminster Confession of Faith reminds us that because we are human, our sanctification is imperfect in this life; however, Christ,"who is both the author and the finisher of our faith" will ensure that our sanctification is complete before we come before God's throne (6.077-6.077).  

Despite all the random construction projects I encountered and all the waiting I had to do, I eventually found myself back in Wadesboro.  As I pulled into my parking spot outside the church, I found myself thinking about what a relief it is to know that no matter how long it make takes me to get certain things right--no matter how frustrating the road to sanctification may be or how weak and assailed I may become as I deal with some of life's twists and turns, Jesus is making sure that I will get where I need to be.  When my earthly life comes to an end, I will enter my heavenly one as someone who has been fully sanctified by Christ's grace.  Most importantly, I won't have made it there alone...for I will be surrounded by faithful of every time and place.  No matter what construction projects and obstacles we face, Jesus will get us all there together.

The next time you get caught in a construction zone, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your life's journey.  How is that sanctification project going?  And what Christ helping you work on as you continue to die to sign and live into righteousness?  Where might he be leading you next?  When you finally arrive at your destination, take a moment to give thanks that while the spiritual road may be filled with delays and obstacles, Jesus is making sure that you will end up where you need to be.  For you are being sanctified in him...and through Christ's grace, salvation is just around the corner.

 

Prayer 

Jesus, thank you for saving me through the power of your grace.  As you lead me on the road to sanctification, help me get over my frustrations with the detours and delays I encounter.  Drive away my  that I will never get to where God wants me to be.  Keep me ever mindful that with your love to guide me, nothing can stop me from reaching the destination you have in store for me.  And when I finally arrive at the gates of glory, make me thankful that you have brought me safely home.  Amen.

Works Cited

"The Shorter Catechism," in  The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) Part 1: The Book of Confessions, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). (Louisville, KY: Office of the General Assembly, 2016), 7.035.

“The Westminster Confession of Faith,” in The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) Part 1: The Book of Confessions, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). (Louisville, KY: Office of the General Assembly, 2016), 6.076-6.077.