going through the tunnel...

Yesterday, I was driving through downtown Pittsburgh and I got to drive through the Liberty Tunnel. I love to go through the Liberty Tunnel. When I was a child, we would travel through the tunnel when we would visit my grandparents. There's just something so cool about being in the middle of the mountain, being in the stream of vehicles, and seeing the small light at the end get bigger and bigger.


The thrill got a little different as I became the driver. I'll never forget the first time I was controlling the car. My dad sat next to me and coached me through the experience. "First, keep your eyes on your lane. Don't worry about anyone else. If you stay in your lane, you'll be safe. Second, maintain your speed. Don't slow down and don't speed up. How you start is how you should finish. Third, always keep your lights on. Whether it's day or night, you need to understand that others cannot see you the same inside the tunnel as outside." We made it through, although I'm sure that I was not able to let go of the steering wheel for a while because of the stress I felt as I had this new experience.


One thing I've learned about driving through the tunnel is that there always is a light at the end. The darkness inside the tunnel is haunting and daunting. But when I kept my eyes on the vehicle in front of me, I could eventually see the light at the end.


When we would go to Virginia Beach on vacation, we would travel in a tunnel underneath the water. One thing I looked forward to was the smell of the ocean when we got to the other side. I can almost smell it now as I'm typing. I think I looked forward to the smell at the end even more than the light.

Whatever the experience is going through the tunnel, there is a difference in you when you get the other side. We sang an older chorus today during our worship service: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. One of the lines is, "And the things of life will grow strangly dim in the light of Your glory and grace." I pondered the tunnel experience to my experience of walking with Jesus. In my life, there is trouble. There is unhappiness and pain. But these things fade in comparison to the amazing grace and glory of Jesus.

If you find yourself stuck in the middle of the tunnel, unable to see the light or smell the salt air at the end, change your focal point. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. He's more than a character from a story. He's real and He loves us so very much. His amazing grace will transform you and help you to see Him in everything.