Traveling the Rock Road

Cathy and I just returned from a wonderful road trip up to Maine and some of the surrounding New England states. It was tiring seeing as we traveled 2,600 miles round trip, but we both love seeing all the sights along the way and stopping occasionally to take in something we hadn’t planned on. Seldom do we turn on the radio, we see it as a distraction to gazing on the beautiful landscape that our country has to offer. But on one trip I did have the radio playing and heard something I had never heard before nor since that left a lasting impression on this man.

It was an early Sunday morning and I was driving north on Interstate 77. Being by myself on this trip, I chose to flip on the radio to see what programs were being aired knowing most would be church services broadcasting from the region I was passing through. One program caught my interest by the music they played and what the commentator had to say. But the most interesting moment came at the end of broadcast when the emcee finished with these words. “Well folks as you know when I began this program five years ago; if you wanted to give to this ministry great, but that wasn’t the most important thing. It was using this as an avenue to get the Word of God out. I told God that as long as the money was there for each broadcast I would continue on; but the moment we couldn’t pay the bills, I would take that to mean He didn’t want us to go on. Well, today we have just enough to finish this broadcast and this will be the end. Thank you to all the loyal listeners who have supported us with funds, prayers and kind words to our ministry. May God bless you in the future. Please pray for a direction to what the Lord wants us to do next. Goodbye.” After a short pause the station manager came on to reaffirm that was program was really over, and that the commentator asked that people do not send any money to save the show; God had spoken that it was time to stop.”

Turning off the radio I pondered the man’s words for probably the next hundred miles. I had never heard anything like that before. I haven’t watched many programs like this on TV, but it seemed they were constantly having a fundraiser, pleading for folks to do all they can to keep the program on the air, offering special gifts if they contribute a certain amount. Even asking ones if you don’t have the money to put in on a credit card; God would honor you for it. Hmm.

Now I’m not totally criticizing these programs, like I said I haven’t watched enough to know what they’re doing and perhaps it’s an important ministry. But after hearing this Brother’s words and reasoning of why it was time to end his broadcast, it did leave me wondering about the motives of some of these others. He was going totally on faith when he began his ministry, and it was faith when he chose to bring it to an end. I thought about a verse I’ve used often but in a different context.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Perhaps this minister did not want the program to be seen as his or have people look at him instead of Christ. I also have a feeling that he knew God had something else in store for him, perhaps something better.

I like what Bill Hybels says, “If the request is wrong, God says, No. If the timing is wrong, God says, Slow. If you are wrong, God says, Grow. But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, Go!”

I never heard the fellow “Traveler of the Rock Road” again. Perhaps his ministry reached thousands if not millions. Or perhaps like us bloggers he only had a small audience. But I do know the faith he displayed spoke mountains of just who we should be in Christ.

Walk by faith, not by sight. Works for me!

See ya next time.