SIX DAYS, SIX LESSONS FROM THE ROAD: SOME PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS FOR THINGS TO COME

PREFACE. Before starting this Sequential Commentary Summary of my most recent Circuit Ride (more a test run of my new wheels and a family visit to my son than an actual CR), I noticed some very practical lessons that were being taught to me along the way that bear repeating publicly. Lessons that on reflection I am convinced will be of important practical use to us all as we march forward into an Unknown Future that promises to be the most important and challenging times of our lives as Christians.

Or as I have said more than once: ‘Our Finest Hour,’ if we just do very best to obey our King.

So, I offer this Brief Précis that will list each day of my tour with a KEY LESSON the Lord taught for just that day. I hope this is both helpful and encouraging to as you embark on your own unique Tours of Duty in the days ahead. Each Scripture was what I received in prayer that morning before beginning the drive.

DAY ONE: SUN MAR 26. Set out from Colorado Springs that morning on the roughly 400-mile drive to the home of HERB AND ROZLYN DOWNER in Mason City, Nebraska. Population according to Wikipedia, 171. Spent the night in the midst of a sumptuous roast beef dinner, much laughter laced with serious talk of the flailing American Church, but so grateful we all are to have faithful houses of worship where Truth is the main guest of honor. Slept in their guest room on a bed sitting so high that I needed a step ladder sometimes to help me in and out of it!

• THE SCRIPTURE. “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet [with contempt]. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” – JESUS CHRIST, MATTHEW 10:11-15, NKJV

• THE LESSON. “‘Whosoever shall not receive you’ — That is, entertain you kindly; nor, in an obedient manner, hearken to your words, ‘when you depart, shake off the dust of your feet’ — The Jews thought the Land of Israel so peculiarly holy, that when they came home from any Heathen country they stopped at the borders, and shook or wiped off the dust of it from their feet, that the Holy Land might not be polluted with it. Therefore, the action here enjoined was a lively intimation, that those … who had rejected the Gospel were holy no longer, but were on a level with Heathen and idolaters. ‘Verily, It shall be more tolerable’— As if He had said, ‘And indeed you have reason to shake off the dust of your feet’ in such a case, for whatever profession such [individuals] may make of their regard to the true God, and however they may continue to boast of their national privileges, their punishment at the Day of Final Judgment shall not only be greater than that of the generality of Gentile sinners, but even than that of those monsters of unnatural wickedness who formerly inhabited Sodom and Gomorrah, and were consumed with fire and brimstone from Heaven. For the people of those cities never sinned against such extraordinary light and such singular favours as they will do who reject the Gospel now to be preached to them, with great plainness and power, by you, and attested by such miracles as I shall enable you to perform.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DAY TWO: MON MAR 27. Made my way the next day to my son CHRISTOPHER KELLY’S apartment in Madison Wisconsin, a trek of about 600 miles. Spent that first night just resting and getting caught up on family matters, as he gave up his bedroom for the old man, and chose to sleep on an inflatable air mattress on the floor. Yeah, you getting this kid’s heart?

• THE SCRIPTURE. “It will come to pass that ‘he who is left in Zion’ and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy (set apart for God)—everyone who is recorded for [eternal] life in Jerusalem … And there will be a pavilion for shade from the heat by day, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and the rain.” – ISAIAH 4:3, 6, AMP

• THE LESSON. “‘He that is left in Zion’ – This ‘properly’ refers to The Remnant that should remain after the mass of the people should be cut off by wars, or be borne into captivity. If it refers to the few that would come back from Babylon, it means that ‘they would be reformed,’ and would be a generation different from their fathers – which was undoubtedly true. If it refers, as the connection seems to indicate, to the Times of the Messiah, then it speaks of ‘those who are left,’ while the great mass of the Nation would be unbelievers, and would be destroyed. The mass of the Nation would be cut off, and The Remnant that was left would be holy; that is, ‘all true friends of the Messiah would be holy.’” – ALBERT BARNES, Notes on the Old and New Testament, 1884; edited

DAY THREE: TUE MAR 28. Next day my son showed me around the very lovely city of MADISON surrounded by lakes, with its quaint homes and apartments from an earlier era, the University campus, and some of the shops in the area (as with an ice cream store from which I forced myself upon a double scoop butter pecan). Then that night we dined on amazing steaks at Delmonico’s, where I ordered a small (6 oz.) cut of Wagyu, with a baked potato lathered in butter and sour cream, followed by a wonderfully crisp crème brûlée. Alas, I awakened at 2:00 in the morning sicker than seven dogs with some sort of stomach disorder or possibly food poisoning. Isn’t that fun? Otherwise, a (sort of) perfectly wonderful visit with my kid.

• THE SCRIPTURE. “And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – PHILIPPIANS 4:19, AMP
• THE LESSON. “While it is true in a general sense that God does supply the needs of His people, this is a specific promise that ‘those who are faithful and devoted in their giving [of themselves] to Christ will never suffer lack.’ It has often been remarked that God supplies the needs of his people – not ‘out’ of His riches, but ‘according’ to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. If a millionaire gave a dime to a child, he would be giving out of His riches. But if He gave $100,000 to some worthy cause, He would be giving according to His riches. God’s supply is according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and nothing could be richer than that!” – WILLIAM MACDONALD, Believer’s Bible Commentary, 1995, pp. 1981-1982; edited

DAY FOUR: WED MAR 29. The next morning I made for WICHITA, KANSAS in another long drive of about 600 or so miles, while nursing my stomach distress back to health with a whole lot of prayer – and, importantly, an iron hard determination to press on! (and yes, I did waver). This was to just be a layover day on my way to Albuquerque, so I found a wonderful Comfort Inn Suites room for a much needed rest. I guess the point is of this phase is: (1) There are no perfect journeys; and (2) Satan is always setting traps for us along the way, demanding we remain ever vigilant, submitting everything to God in prayer before setting out. I mean every detail!

• THE SCRIPTURE. “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance ‘and in everything,’ by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” – PHILIPPIANS 4:6, AMP

• THE LESSON. “‘Be careful for nothing.’—An exact repetition of our Lord’s command, ‘Take no thought’ (in Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:34). The prohibition is of that painful anxiety which is inevitable in all who feel themselves alone in mere self-dependence amidst the difficulties and dangers of life [as with food poisoning a thousand miles from home]. It is possible to sink below this anxiety in mere levity and thoughtlessness; it is possible to rise above it by ‘casting our care on Him who careth for us,’ and knowing that we are simply ‘fellow-workers with Him’ (1 Peter 5:7; 2 Corinthians 6:1). Hence the Apostle passes on at once to speak of the trustfulness of [intense, specific] prayer.” – CHARLES ELLICOTT, An Old and New Testament Commentary for English Readers, 1878, 1897; edited

DAY FIVE: THU MAR 30. Set out feeling very much better the next day toward Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. Would give Colorado Springs, Colorado and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho a run for their money. Drove straight to one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in town, Sadies (c. 1950s), to meet with REN AND MIRANDA MARTINEZ-HERBERT. The picture for this Commentary was snapped by Miranda when I wasn’t looking, pretty much perfectly depicting the old man’s joy of these visits, exhausting as they sometimes are. Nothing like The Fellowship enjoined, with dear friends.

• THE SCRIPTURE. “The Lord said, ‘Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, since Abraham is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?’” – GENESIS 18:17-18, AMP

• THE LESSON. “‘Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do’— Thus doth God in His counsels express Himself after the manner of men, with deliberation. ‘The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.’ Those that by faith live a life of communion with God, cannot but know more of His mind than other people. They have a better insight into what is present, and a better foresight of what is to come [and are the happiest men]!” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DAY SIX: FRI MAR 31. Bucking crosswind gusts of about 40 mph, drove the final relatively easy 400 miles home to Colorado, and with my wife Suzette’s permission, headed straight to Wayfinder’s to put these thoughts on paper for the Saturday Commentary. Was delighted with the entire trip (well, most of it!), and the way Gandalf the Grey performed, surprising me with the way he took the S’s near Trinidad with the grace and agility of a Porsche. Overall, was thankful to God for this Test Run, but learned that I shall never again place all my trust in Siri: She at one point navigated me into a 400-mile nightmare juggernaut on Highway 54 – wait for it – nearly all a two lane road! Can you say, “Road Atlas first” boys and girls? I can.

• THE SCRIPTURE. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – PSALM 119:105, AMPC

• LAMP. ‘Ner’ [נִיר]: “To glisten; a burner or light; candle; fire from the Ancient of Days.” Linguistic cousin to ‘Or’ [אוֹר]: “Dawn or morning light; heavenly luminary [as with the sun]; lightning; happiness; refers to the light of life.”

• THE LESSON. “The Word of God directs us in our work and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. The Commandment is a Lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit, as a Light to direct us in the choice of our way, and the steps we take in that way. ‘The keeping of God’s Commands’ here meant, was that of a sinner under a dispensation of mercy, of a believer having part in the Covenant of Grace. The Psalmist is often afflicted; but with grace. We cannot offer anything to God, that He will accept but what He is pleased to teach us to do … Numberless are the snares laid by the wicked; and happy is that servant of God, whom they have not caused to err from His Master’s Precepts [i.e., Biblical holiness].” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1711; edited

KELLY’S CODICIL. In Sum: (1) Be selective in sharing God’s Treasure, not throwing either pearls to swine nor to dogs what is holy. (2) Always strive to The Remnant by remaining loyal to Christ and Canon. (3) If you wish to receive all that God has, you must give your all to God. (4) Pray about everything, down to the details, asking God to help you choose wisely. (5) Only the true friends of God will share in the precious Secrets of God. (6) The surest way to friendship with God is to labor in studying the Words of God, to know His Mind and Heart.

Ever your servant, DK

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