Diversion Alert!

Life is like taking a drive on the road to Hana.

My husband and I recently vacationed on the island of Maui, Hawaii. While there we undertook the experience of the one “must do” excursion on the island – drive the road to Hana.

The anticipated journey began early one morning as we set out in our rented Jeep, recommended guide book in hand referencing all the points of interest (and the hazards) along the way. The drive which, by the way, is an all-day event to traverse the 40-some miles of narrow road, one-lane bridges (46 to be exact) just wide enough for a Jeep, and endless curves - not literally, of course, just 600 curves plus or minus…double that for round trip!

With this excursion, it’s more about the journey than the destination.

Now I have to admit, when I write I get a little thrill when finding the perfect word, and Hana is the perfect word for this particular journey. In Hawaiian it means work, and in Japanese it means beautiful. If you drive the road to Hana you will find it’s the perfect fit. The work required to maneuver the curves, at the same time does not fail to provide the beauty of stunning views and magnificent scenery; or, the little unexpected surprises around certain corners. None of which can be adequately described or justified through description or photos. It must be experienced.

However, at the same time, the road to Hana is not for the faint of heart. Many choose, for fear of the potential treachery of the narrow road and windy curves, not to make the drive and never experiencing the beauty of the journey. They have truly missed out believing the risk is not worth the reward.

So, up for the challenge, my husband and I, with the direction of the guide, set out knowing mile by mile what lay ahead and proceeded picking and choosing our points of interest along the way. Intrigued and unable to resist, we made certain stops the book called “Diversion Alerts!” happy to accept the penalty of added time those stops produced (hey, we were in Hawaii!). We found some of those excursions to be more rewarding than others. But then isn't that how journeys go?

Finally arriving at Hana, we found a less than fulfilling end to the journey (the guide had warned us). Hana is an uninteresting village having no main street or town center – not even a shop to purchase the requisite “I Survived the Road to Hana” T-shirt. It is hardly the "paradise" one would expect considering the drive to get there, leaving us asking ourselves, This is it?! Then again, as I said, we'd been warned.

Life is like that drive. And yet, for believers, unlike the road to Hana, it's about both the journey and the destination.

God is wanting to do a beautiful work in us as we make life's journey. It is His desire we trust the narrow road, winding curves and single lane bridges are worth the time involved because there is beauty to be had along the way and awaiting at the end. What He has prepared for us at the end of our journey will not leave us asking, Really, is this all there is?, because Paradise actually is awaiting those who have allowed Christ to be their guide.

In addition, guide Book God has provided both forewarns us of the hazards ahead and assures us of the beauty along the way as well. He encourages us to be on guard never knowing when we will encounter those one-lane bridges slowing us down and eliciting caution, or what we will discover around the next curve, or when we will face something head-on along the narrow road leaving no room to pass. Sometimes blessings await us around those corners, or in the diversions, and sometimes trials. We walk the road in faith. And we must be careful not rob ourselves of those blessings that await because we selfishly refuse to sacrifice the time a diversion may take.

Though there are many similarities between life and the road to Hana, we can be grateful we only go one way. There is no return trip. The Bible assures us we are journeying through this world to an end God has promised - heaven and eternal life. He assures us this world isn't real life. Real life is in the Spirit and life in the Spirit enhances our journey and produces joy even with the single lanes, narrow bridges and unpleasant diversions....until we reach our heavenly Paradise.

We also have the promise of His everlasting presence and abundant life; not just at the end of our journey but in the journey. This sometimes amazing, sometimes hard journey is just that – a journey. I can either enjoy the scenery or focus on the curves. I have chosen not to opt-out, taking it all in, the good with the bad, knowing in the end my journey will have been more rewarding than the road to Hana.

I’m going to trust in His promise to walk with me along the way; to never abandon me on this narrow road; and work through the curves, knowing He will turn those diversions into blessings. Because, unlike Hana, He has promised the beauty of heaven at the end of my road. Oh, the joy of such a promise!

God will…give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3