Monday 7 April 2014

Road Closed

I found my way from Burbage to Stoke Golding today and whilst I didn't go the best way, I never actually got lost. My self satisfaction was short lived. On the way home I must have turned the wrong way because I came upon a sign which said, Road Ahead Closed. As I was convinced I had come in this way, I decided the road must have been closed further ahead than I needed to be. I ignored the large red signs and drove on. Quite some while later having driven down long, narrow, windy, wet, winding country lanes, I found myself faced with some red plastic barriers declaring the road was closed. I drove past them as they weren't actually closing the road, they were just making it rather difficult to get by. Several miles later on I appeared to be approaching Higham on the Hill. Because I've heard of Higham on the Hill I kept driving. More red and possibly a few yellow barriers suggested that roadworks were occurring but I had come too far to turn back now. I eventually came to a turning for Upton which I have never heard of but it looked as if the road closure might not be applicable if I drove to Upton so I turned left and drove down a long, narrow, windy, wet, winding country lane. It was pitch dark, the wind was howling and the tree branches were hitting the car as I passed. There was flooding on the road but I skirted round it.  I came upon another sign which said Road Closed Ahead, so I pressed on. The entire left side of the road was cordoned off with barriers and there was precious little room to drive a large car down the right side but I wasn't going to give up at the last hurdle.
As I rounded the bend up a steep hill, two glaring headlights faced me.  A truck was coming towards me.
I put the car in reverse and skewing myself round in my seat to look over my shoulder,                  I reversed as fast as I possibly could, trying to avoid the hedge on one side and the red barriers on the other. I guess I had 11cm to spare each side. The truck continued to glare until I swung into a drive way. He indicated into the same driveway so I drove out and went back the way I had originally come. Miles later, driving between some bollards on the reverse of which was a sign saying Road Closed, I was relieved to return to the opposite end of Stoke Golding. Passing the end of the road I had left 25 minutes earlier, I continued through the village and came upon a sign which said Road Ahead Closed. I knew that technically that wasn't true, but I turned round and headed for Dadlington which was at least a new place to be lost. Eventually a sign to Earl Shilton materialised, which is not where I wanted to be, but I sometimes know how to get from there to my house as long as I don't get lost in Elmesthorpe or Barwell on the way. It was almost an hour later when I reached home. People reading this may be surprised that I ignored the first signs. I should have just believed them and turned round. I thought I knew better. In the Bible in Romans chapter 1, we read, "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse," But like me and the road closed signs, people still think they have an excuse. They know a better way, it can't be true that there is a creator, so they take an alternative route. I'm just trying to save you a lonely journey down a long, wet, windy pitch dark, flooded road which ultimately takes you to a dead end, In Jesus I believe I have found the road to eternal life. It's open to everyone and because Jesus walks it with you, even in the darkest places you are safe. You might be familiar with the words of this old song." I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." That's me.....is it you yet?

1 comment:

  1. next time you leave my house i will endeavour to remember the above, and give you a map showing how to get home in the 15 minutes it should have taken you, or 20 if you hit the traffic lights!

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