Blocked!

This graphic came to me in a batch of photos that were certainly eye-catching! A well-planned highway, fulfilling the dreams of designers and travelers alike, stretching across obstacles, rising above difficulties. The earth does not always cooperate. Instead of it shifting beneath the firmly planted piers, it flowed across more than a hundred feet, bringing man’s plans to a halt.

We meet such obstacles in our own lives. Completely unexpected, shutting down all plans we had for our future, coming to a screeching halt. Seemingly insurmountable. We would have to rebuild, at great cost in both time and money, with considerable inconvenience to many people.

I think of Esther, with the life of a young Jewish girl in a foreign land, looking forward to marriage and family, having all that change at the whim of a king. She made her peace with that change, only to be faced with the annihilation of her people, by her husband. From this story I most recall her explaining how she could not approach the king without possibly losing her life. Mordecai responded:

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14 KJV)

He saw beyond the moment, looking directly into God’s plan to make evil into salvation. The king was bound by certain rules set in place to make things work as expected. One of them was that edicts signed by the kings could not be changed That rule should have given any king pause before signing. Even when manipulated by evil men, the law would would be followed. Haman’s manipulation could not be stopped, but the results could be changed by a subsequent edict. Roadblock removed.

What greater roadblock could there be than death? Religious leaders plotted Jesus’ death for a long time. If only they could remove Him, things would return to the ‘normal’ they preferred. His presence caused questions for which they had no answers. His answers took followers away from them. His death would stop it all.

Except, it didn’t. Never have the plans of a group of men had such an impact on the entire world. Instead of quieting Him, His word spread worldwide, continuing to raise questions requiring answers.

While His parables might be lengthy, His answers were somewhat short:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14:61b-62 KJV)

He asks us, as He did His disciples, “What do people say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15,Mark 8:29, Luke 9:18) Can we answer as Peter did, “You are the Messiah, promised by God, prophesied for centuries, fulfilled. You are my Lord.”

You will be amazed at what roadblocks are cleared.