Want to Breathe Again? Rest Area Open!

Due to financial cutbacks in The Commonwealth of Virginia, in 2009 our elected government officials in Richmond decided to close multiple rest areas designed for motorists along the interstate highways across the state. Because I am a reasonable citizen, I can surely understand financial shortfalls, but I must also say that when I heard many of Virginia’s roadside rest areas were closing down, it produced some measure of unrest in my peace of mind as a driver of vehicles. Especially as I grow older, I appreciate like never before the simple blessing of roadside rest in long-distance travel.

During the Christmas season in 2008, even with all of Virginia’s rest areas still open, our family came up on an awful automobile accident just north of Roanoke in the southbound lane. We were probably the third vehicle to approach the scene – a dear couple, in their late sixties, were traveling to southern Virginia to celebrate the holidays with their son and his family. The mother, who had been driving, had fallen asleep at the wheel. It was so sad. A failure to stop and rest adequately was the culprit. As the Pegasus chopper airlifted the father to UVA Medical Center, I called their son on the mother’s cell phone to tell him what had happened along the interstate highway. He didn’t answer so I left a careful and prayerful message on his voice mail. Months later, the daughter-in-law called me to thank me for assisting her in-laws. Her mother-in-law had survived. Her father-in-law had not. Tears.

Our spiritual lives can be illustrated as a car-trip on a highway. We travel along all excited about wherever it is we think we’re headed, all-the-while carelessly discounting the dangers of soul restlessness. As we ride south, the Resurrected Jesus stands alongside the highway with nail-scared hands outstretched. I can see Him holding a sign of hope in those nail-scared hands. His sign of hope is a simple but profound three-word invitation: Rest Area Open!

Matt. 11:28-30 (NLT) – Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

Why do we as weary motorists need rest areas? That’s obvious. We need rest areas because we get weary. Staring through the windshield mile-after-mile can be dangerously mesmerizing and can easily cause us to carelessly forget that our lives are at stake, as are the lives of those traveling with us. Will we stop and rest? Will we take time to catch our breath before it’s too late?

Why do our eternal souls need Easter? We need Easter because it echoes loudly the personal, eternal-life-invitation of the One Who was dead, but is now alive, forever. (Rev. 1:18). Will we finally exit this Easter on the ramp that leads to R-and-R -- Rest and Resurrection? Do we Want to Breathe Again? Rest Area Open!

P.S. Under the leadership of a new governor, in 2010, The Commonwealth of Virginia has now reopened the roadside rest areas. :-)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful