My Final Trip

Late last night I returned from meetings in Georgia and Tennessee. Soon I will leave for another appointment in Ohio. It is a way of life in itinerant evangelism.

A friend said to me this week, “You must really love to travel!” Not always. I love the Lord. I love preaching His Word. I love fulfilling the call of God upon my life. I love being with pastors and local churches. I love seeing people come to Jesus Christ. I love witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit.

…but, I don’t always love travel.

Recently I started meditating on my final trip. It is already scheduled, though I don’t know any of the details. (And that is ok with me!)

Yours is scheduled too. There is “a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2), “a time of departure” (2 Timothy 4:6). Someday we will all take our final trip from this world to the next. Into the presence of God. This is not a depressing thought to me. In fact, I found a great deal of joy in the truth:

• On my final trip I won’t have to pack a thing. I am leaving it all behind and traveling light. Sure, I’ve sent a few things on ahead, but Jesus is preparing everything I will need in that place.
• On my final trip I won’t have to be concerned about directions or connections. My travel Agent has all of the arrangements worked out.
• On my final trip I won’t have to worry about transportation. I’m going to fly!
• On my final trip I won’t be traveling alone. My Companion has promised He would be with me until the end.
• On my final trip I won’t need to ask who will be meeting me or if I have confirmed accommodations. Christ Himself will welcome me there, and He has plenty of room reserved in the Father’s house.

Yes, my final trip will be the best I have ever taken – and the destination is out of this world.

Tonight I stopped by the gravesites of my grandparents. So many thoughts. So many memories. As I looked at the dates on each of their memorials, and the little dash between, I thought about my own life. And the end.

Mr. Spurgeon once said, “The way to make the most of your life is to meditate upon your death.” That is not morbid. It is wisdom. Go to the end and work backward. Eternity makes life clearer.

As I wandered through the cemetery, the memorial of a wife and mother caught my attention. It simply said, “She lived the life and died the death of a Christian.” That is what I want.

Every step of the journey is just preparation for the final trip.