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Travis Smith
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Rev. Travis Smith |
 Have you ever been on a trip where you knew your destination, but wasn't necessarily sure of the best route to get there. Welcome to my trip on the Religious Highway. I've always known that my path was with God, I just wasn't one hundred percent sure how to get there. Along the way I've stopped and asked for directions, but as in life sometimes the directions aren't always correct. And all to often, they take you on more detours, back roads, road blocks and even dead ends. I'm often asked how do you know God is real? Sometimes that question takes me a step back. For most of us who already know God, it's the "huh question". At first response, I want to say, "How do you not know that He is real?" How can people go through life looking at the trees, the sky, babies, little furry animals, etc. and not believe in a higher power, even if they are not ready to attach a name to it. For me my faith was strengthened 20 years ago. One day after my 16th birthday party, I was on my way to a job interview when the truck I was driving was hit on the drivers side head on by another vehicle. I was rushed to the nearest hospital for care, but despite my complaints of a headache the doctors ignored my mothers request to have me looked at further. She called my family doctor and had me moved to another hospital. Upon further investigation they found I was suffering from fluid on the brain. In the weeks and months to follow, I found that if she had not stepped in when she did in less than 12 hours severe brain damage would have taken over and I would have been clinically brain dead. So to have someone ask me "Why do you believe in God?" Simply, He saved my life. An even that would become my moral compass. God did not save my life for me to waist it on drugs, parties, drinking, etc. For some of you, you might be thinking of the old saying, "You have to experience death to experience life" and others it's that breaking point when in your life you throw your hands in the air and cry out "Jesus take the wheel!" But you don't have to be in a severe accident to know God. Actually in retrospect Jesus already saved each of our lives when He died on the cross for our sins. Jesus, that was one of my road blocks, remember the asking for directions. Sometimes when your visiting someplace new the description can be person specific. One persons details might be about what they felt, or what they saw, or smelled. Each persons details are different. A simple fact that I didn't get until after reading Mark Hall's book "Your Own Jesus" from the musical group Casting Crowns. For most of us we grew up knowing our parents or grandparents "Jesus". That guy on TV's "Jesus", the media or politicians "Jesus". But the book allowed me to reach in and find my personal relationship with MY Jesus, MY God, and MY Savior. Between my long talks with Pastor Jayeson of Shine Ministries, and the countless hours of reading this book and that book on the points of "Is Jesus Real", over the last twenty plus years, I've come to the simple conclusion that sometimes you do have to walk by faith, not sight. Sometimes it's when you finally get to your destination that you stop and look at the map and realize the roads you should have taken. And sometimes it's the detours that made the whole trip worthwhile. I know for me growing up playing evangelist in my living room, working with troubled youth for over five years, and a decade long journey with a company that would allow me to experience every form of religion just seemed to be where I was meant to be. However, it's the small things that don't make sense, until you look at the big picture. It wasn't until I heard and felt my calling to the ministry that I truly understood what God's plan was for me. For me today, if someone came up to me on the street and said I don't believe in Jesus, I can honestly say, I understand where you are, I was once there too. However, let me tell you about how I found Jesus and let me help you find your personal relationship with Him. I've been on the right road with God and on the religious highway, but now I can drive in the HOV lane with Jesus by my side. So when you're on the religious highway or even the road of life, don't wait for some tragedy or situation before you throw your hands in the air and say "Jesus, take the wheel." Pull out your GPS (God's Prayer System); stop and say, "God, which direction do you want me to go?" Just because you don't feel like you're headed in the right direction, doesn't mean you are. You might not get to where you want to go as fast as you want to get there, but God will get you there stronger, healthier, and happier. My prayer for you all is that each of you can find your own personal relationship with Jesus. God Bless You All! |
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