Gizmos for the Journey

The family vacation you take today is nothing like the one you took with your parents. For one thing, your kids have cool, hi-tech toys to keep them entertained while on the road. Paul argues that the Christian life is also a journey - a journey that must be undertaken by minding the things of the Spirit and not of the flesh.

The idea that the Christian life is something like a road trip is intriguing -- especially if you've ever actually taken a road trip with a carload of kids.

Yet, the analogy is not far off. Paul starts this great chapter in his letter to the Romans with the "Freedom Now" declaration that "There is ... now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." It's like, okay Christians, for the first time, you're ready to hit the road. You're free from the condemnation of the law, you're free to live in the Spirit, to embark on the adventure of your life, to know what it means to "walk in the Spirit."

While you're thinking about that, revisit the last road trip you took with your family, or think about the one you're planning to take this summer. When you pile in the minivan for your family vacation, it won't be like the road trip you took when you were growing up, when there was "nothing to do." You complained, and your weary parents said, "Look out the window and enjoy the scenery."...