Many brothers and sisters who know me well are aware that I enjoy driving. Since I drive an automatic car, the pleasure I take does not come from the mechanics of operating the vehicle, but from the sense of exploration I experience while on the road.
When I was driving in Hong Kong, I much preferred mountain and country roads over motorways. Having now lived in the UK for several years, I have also become accustomed to navigating narrow streets, winding mountain roads and rural lanes. For instance, when travelling from MAC (Trafford) to MAC (Warrington), I usually choose to take the country road A56 rather than the motorway M56. The difference in travel time is minimal, but the experience is entirely different. It is not because of any lack of skill that I avoid the motorway; rather, to me, motorways simply provide the fastest way to get from one town to another, without offering any real enjoyment.
This summer, our family travelled to Japan, and most of the trip was a self-drive journey. Some of the sights and inns we visited could only be reached by negotiating steep and difficult mountain roads. Some stretches had a succession of sharp hairpin bends, while others led us deep into the mountains, forcing us to drive through thick fog where the road ahead was hidden. My daughter even gave me a nickname—the “U-turn Master”. I was not boasting of my driving skills; I simply enjoyed the experience of such journeys.
Yet these driving experiences gave me deeper spiritual insight. While driving along roads that were difficult and uncertain, although the way ahead was unclear, my heart was at peace, for I knew that it was God who was leading me towards my destination.
Psalm 23 has always brought me special comfort, especially verse 4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
On the journey of life, we sometimes find ourselves in unfamiliar places, burdened with anxieties or uncertainties about the way ahead. Yet we firmly believe that God is watching over us and guiding us. As Christians, we know and believe that when our earthly journey ends, we will enter into the eternal kingdom. But the journey before we reach that destination is equally important. It is a process through which we must reflect deeply and bear witness to God’s grace, savouring each experience along the way. May we not live as if on the motorway, rushing forward with our eyes fixed only on the end goal, but instead learn to cherish the journey, enjoying every step of the way as the Lord walks with us.
Perhaps you are at this very moment facing a stage of life where the road ahead is unclear. May the Lord keep and guide you, and may you step forward, one step at a time, in His peace.
Rev. Louis Yeung