The Police Escort

The Police Escort

“He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside still water.”
                                               Psalm 23:2

It was the early 60’s, and some difficult circumstances caused my mom and I to end up in Syracuse, New York one night, 80 miles from home and in serious need of some help. The memory is well etched in my mind of those who came to our aid, a Catholic priest from a nearby church, and my mom’s closest brother who also happened to be my godfather. But for a nervous pre-teen, the ride back to Rochester late that night was one that I can guarantee I will never forget.

My uncle, who was a high ranking police official, made the trip to Syracuse to bring us back home. And after some serious issues began to be addressed, we came down to the lobby of our hotel to find a New York State trooper, who had driven my uncle to the hotel, waiting to escort us back home. Our dark green Cadillac tucked in behind the deep blue Crown Victoria of the New York State Police, and with his lights flashing, he led us home in record time. There was no worrying about speed limits, no hoping people would get out of our way, no lane changes to signal; it was quite literally the trip of a lifetime.

Making the trip to New York this past Thursday night reminded me of that night and how, in some ways, it provides a glimpse of how following God is intended to be. A normal trip to New York involves watching out for radar, the occasional frustration with other drivers, complaints about customs, and stopping for road construction, accidents and to pay tolls. And our walk with the Lord includes a little bit of each of those: fears, frustrations, irritations and difficulties. But that night in the 6o’s contained none of those. Driving at that speed, on the New York State Thruway of all places, without a single worry or concern, take it from me, that just doesn’t happen!

But what if in our answering God’s call to follow Him, we tucked in closer behind the Lord than we ever have before? What if we truly allowed Him to lead and guide us by His Holy Spirit, responding to His promptings with a simple obedience that we’ve found so difficult at times? What if we followed “the lamp to our feet and the light to our path” with a profound trust that He will lead us beside still waters and into green pastures? We just might find ourselves on a spiritual journey that’s free from anxiety and fear, free from constant frustration and tension, what we might call the trip of a lifetime.

God Bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church