The Highway of Holiness

Dick Bennett / Pastor "Young at Heart" and Congregational Care

Photo by Karsten Würth (@karsten.wuerth) on Unsplash

When you read this, I will have just completed my 83rd year on this planet. It has been a fascinating, exciting, and sometimes challenging journey, with all the ups and downs that life has to offer. How can I summarize it in just a couple of paragraphs? It's impossible. My spiritual journey has been a little less - just 62 years - having accepted Jesus as my personal Savior at the age of 19. During those years I have sought to be obedient to the God who saved me, amidst all the human weaknesses we are born with because of the "fall" in the garden.

J. W. Peterson, a prolific hymn writer during my lifetime, wrote a hymn entitled, "It's Not an Easy Road." Here are the words:

It's not an easy road we are traveling to heaven,
Many are the thorns on the way. It's not an easy road, but the Savior is with us,
His presence gives us joy every day. 

Chorus:
No, no, it's not an easy road,
No, no, it's not an easy road,
But Jesus walks beside me, and brightens the journey,
and lightens every heavy load. 

It's not an easy road, there are trials and troubles,
And many are the dangers we meet.
But Jesus guards and keeps so that nothing can harm us,
And smooths the rugged path for our feet. 

Though I am often footsore and weary from travel,
Though I am often bowed down with care,
A better day is coming when home in the glory,
We'll rest in perfect peace over there.

I wish I could sing it for you. Read the words closely and you will identify with every line. Now I know that many of you have had an even rougher road than I have. I've been in too many hospital rooms and conducted too many funerals. I have been abundantly blessed beyond anything I deserve, and for that I am thankful every day. The important thing is to GET ON THAT ROAD, and there is only one way to do it. There is only one gate, and it's narrow (Matthew 7:13-14). We must CONFESS (our sins), REPENT (of our sins), BELIEVE (in Jesus), and RECEIVE (Jesus as Savior).

Please be aware there are many well-intentioned churches and preachers who have eliminated the first two steps, thus preach only half of the Gospel message. Thank God we acknowledge all four steps here at Eastern Hills Church, and thus we are true to the Word. The great news is that once we enter the Gate, the road becomes a HIGHWAY. It's called the Highway of Holiness (Isaiah 35:8) for those who walk on it.