Encouragement

A Lifelong Mile With You

by Maria Franco
03/15/16
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Today the world has been totally captured by the social media. Every second person is fully engrossed in social chats, texting and messaging that they are at times oblivious to both the people and surroundings around them.
One wonders at the rapid speed with which the world is progressing and what the future holds for the coming generations. We can surely see both the positive and negative aspects of the new power rules which are in place.

Well for one, social media does help us to connect to the outer world, find long lost friends even school and childhood ones all around the world which helps keep in touch and taking us back to former good times.  A daily connection of hearts is of course healthy to some extent as long as we do not misuse or overuse its services to the extent of neglecting other important priorities in life and people who are physically with us.

At times it can be a breather to freshen our thoughts in the middle of a gruelling day, it does help to ease our tensions and transport us into a goody goody friendship world where we taste a moment of happiness before we set back to our normal routine of work. An inpsirational quote, a prayer, a blessing, a request for intercessory prayer, a morning wish and loads of love are positive and a boon to the mind and heart.
Besides it helps to remain united with friends even though apart from them. It also offers some consolation to allievate our loneliness in old age by being in contact with them.

What better way to use the same social media as a Christian outreach to our circle of contacts. It will be worth the effort of time spent if we use it profitably to spread the gospel news. The Daily Word of God, a bible verse, a spiritual video, an uplifting hymn can all be used to harvest and reap the fruits of the kingdom. We can even experience a spiritual awakening thus lifting our hearts to touch the throne and bless each moment of the day by such contact miracles.

But all said and done, no amount of messages, calls and chats can actually make up for the physical presence of a person which is a totally and all needed dimension to life which can never be substituted by anything else.
When we think of someone, the moment itself becomes joyful on account of the thought. The sunrise becomes more colorful and the sunset more bewitching with a solid remembrance. These serve to fill in until we behold the person in front of our eyes and this is the most dominating and tall moment for the heart which serves as both the cake and the icing.

It is said that life is like a train journey where we meet different people as we journey along. Some will remain with us and travel for a while, others will travel with us throughout our journey. Some will disembark halfway and leave us alone while others will remain steadfast until we reach the last halt.
Still yet, those who leave halfway may embark once more in our journey to complete the unfulfilled time. What returns back is twice joyful and mesmerising adding to a beautiful life spread.
This journey will have its share of joy, sorrow, fun, laughter and loads of memories.
The final grand station will be our eternal destination where God himself will be waiting at the entrance to greet us as we step into a new permanent heavenly zone.
We do not give up at any stage of our journey but speed along the rail of life with the Master guarding us from above.

It is always fascinating to watch trains speed by at high speed and velocity, the thrill of the ground actually shaking with the force of it.
One wonders at the rate at which these trains travel, it is only God that leads every one of them safely to its destination.

Am reminded of the parable of the fig tree where the owner decides to cut it down as it had borne no fruit at all. But his worker pleads with him to let it be for another year as he would add manure and strive to bring some fruit out of it. He concludes that if by next year nothing materialises the owner can cut it down.
In a similay way God keeps giving us chances and pruning us so that we too can eventualy bear the desired fruit if we have not managed to do as yet. He does not give up on us. Likewise, we too should not give up however worn down we are with life's trials in the path of our journey.

There is a beautiful story told on how God plants both a bamboo and fern together. While the fern grows at rapid speed, the bamboo takes five years to build its strong roots deep underground. During this period, God does not give up on the bamboo for not producing anything as compared to the fern, he allows both to grow together because at the end the bamboo shoots up to its tallest height as if almost reaching the sky.
God does not draw a comparision between the two and the rate at which each bears fruit. He knows the individual capability of each and the time both need to shine in their own mettle. Both the bamboo and fern are given the opportunity to continue their journey until its fulfillment.

In contrast,we see in the parable of the weed how God allows both the good seed and weed to grow together and at the end, the weeds are pulled up and thrown into the fire whereas the good seed bears fruit.
Here, the Lord knows the destroying power of the weed and hence he does not allow it to disturb the good potential of the growing seed but awaits for the end to separate the good from the bad. He does not uproot the weed in the midst of its journey lest it tampers with the good seed.

It is said that as we climb the staircase of life, each step may get harder but at the end, the view on top is fantastic.
Likewise, we should not alight at any station not maked for us and not planned in our route but we travel the entire way focussed on our goal because at the end the heavenly scenery is going to be mind blowing.
Whilst on the journey we collect mementoes and souveniers to be kept in time. Visits to shrines and holy places can leave a profound impression in our hearts and relics touched at holy ground should be carefully preserved in time.

We also experience various emotions as we travel, Each emotion is specially packaged in our minds as it has an important part to play in our life. Some emotions bring a smile to our faces while yet others are so deep and core absorbing that we can only cherish these right deep into the roots of our hearts. There will be sad emotions as well which we have to accept as a milestone on our journey to teach us to grow higher in strength and one day shine just as the bamboo tree did.

As the train draws to a halt for the last time, we should ensure that we have enjoyed this lifelong journey with those whom we loved the most, the miles spent traveling together which beautified our lives and world.
As we enter eternity, our soul will be in the after effects of the movement of our journey which we are going to cherish in the grand heavens beyond.

Maria Franco