Our Highway of Hope

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa 35:10 AV)

I am reminded from time to time how life does have its trials and challenges.  Every time I hear of someone’s loved one passing away, I am reminded that life has its times of sorrow and sighing.  Every time I hear of a child going astray resulting in the concern of a parent, I am reminded that life has sorrow and sighing.  Every time I hear of strife in the church, I am reminded that life has sorrow and sighing.  Every time I hear of some adverse diagnoses, I am reminded that life has its times of sorrow and sighing.  When news comes of a lay-off and financial problems are eminent, I am reminded that life has its sorrow and sighing.  Life has its problems.  A curse brought to us by Adam and our own choices.  Not all hardships are a direct result of sin.  Some are steps of faith.  But they all come as a consequence of our human condition.

But there will come a time when it will all be wiped away.  The highway of our LORD will be a highway where the redeemed return and leave it all behind.  We know this passage is a millennial one.  For those of us who are saved, we will already be glorified in heaven and these things will not be a concern anymore.  They will be wiped away.  For those believers who survive the tribulation and enter the millennial reign with Christ, they will come by way of the highway of the LORD.  As they travel closer to Jerusalem, all the troubles they endured will be over.  Gone will be the troubles of the last seven years.  Gone will be the old devil himself.  Gone will be the world that persecuted them.  One wonders if this should be a metaphor for the present life of a saint.

We are on a journey. If we have been washed in the blood of Christ, we are always one day closer to eternity.  Perhaps we should seek to have the same mindset as those who will walk the highway of our God.  Perhaps we should look forward and not down.  Perhaps our eyes should be on the prize rather than on the present.  Perhaps our minds should relinquish the past to the past and place our hope in our inevitable future.  There will come a time when our sorrows shall cease.  There will come a time when our sighing shall end.  This is guaranteed!