Military and police roadblocks are common in less developed countries. With no orange cones available, they utilize old oil drums to barricade a road. Thieves also place obstacles across roads forcing people to stop so they can steal their vehicle. I was returning from a remote Bible college out in the bush where I was teaching. Noticing two barrels ahead closing off the road, I thought, “The road wasn’t blocked when I came.” Then, I recalled when I came I did notice the drums sitting on a small side road. No police or military were present but two young African boys raced up to my truck and demanded “one-American dollar” to pass. It didn’t take a lot of thought to figure out their little scheme for making some money. They had moved the barrels so I would stop. Tired, ready to get home, and cautious about getting out of the truck, I began ramming the two drums with the front bumper—one of which I almost flattened. An older man came hurrying out of the bush and moved the bent up barrels back to the small road.
Life in general is full of roadblocks and obstacles. For Christians, Satan uses common everyday hindrances or creates his own to impede us in our advancement in the Kingdom. Satan even hindered Paul; For we wanted to come to you–I, Paul, more than once–and yet Satan hindered us (1Th 2:18). Roadblocks often come from other people, including religious leaders. Jesus condemned the scribes, Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering (Luk 11:52) Paul asked the Galatians, You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth (Gal 5:7)?
The 60’s cartoon series, Pogo, popularized a now oft-quoted saying. “We have met the enemy, and they are us.” We can become our own greatest roadblock. God promised Israel the land of Canaan and that He would help them defeat the enemies they would face. However, after ten of the twelve spies described the giants in the land, they doubted God’s promise and believed this as too great of an obstacle and in fear refused to enter. The only hindrance came from the people themselves. Our sin nature can hinder us from moving forward and growing spiritually—lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life. A list of the hindrances only mentioned in scripture would require the entire page. We will always confront roadblocks in life. The key is how we handle them.
Zaccheus, a rich tax collector from Jericho, heard Jesus was passing through. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, yet he encountered a roadblock. The crowd was in his way-he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd (Lk 19:3 MSG). He found a solution. He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him (v4). Imagine the richest man you know climbing up a tree to see someone. Zaccheus put aside any pride he had. As a tax collector, the people hated him and I’m sure they enjoyed seeing this government official humiliate himself like a child and climb a tree. Yet, nothing was going to hinder his desire to see Jesus who he not only saw, but also met and Jesus came to his house. An often over looked fact is this was Jesus’ last trip through Jericho because He would be crucified in Jerusalem. Had Zaccheus allowed the hindrances to stop him, he would never have another opportunity to meet Jesus.
Several men tried bringing a paralyzed friend to Jesus who was teaching in someone’s home; however, crowds blocked every possible way into the house. Refusing to allow this to stop them, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus (Lk 5:19). Jesus healed him. He crowd must have opened a path for him because he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God (v25). Paul struggled with a thorn in the flesh, probably poor eyesight, yet refused to allow this weakness to hinder him from traveling the Roman Empire preaching the Gospel. He found strength in the Lord’s promise, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corin 12:9 NIV).
Joshua and Israel came to the banks of the Jordon River after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They were ready to cross over into their promised land. Yet, a huge roadblock hindered them—a flooded river. Plus, the giants still lived on the other side. They could have taken the high water as a sign not to advance and given up. They could have sat on the bank and waited for the dry season. Yet, they refused to allow giants or the flooded river to hinder them. They acted in faith. The priest took the Ark of the Covenant, went, and stood in the water. As they did, God blocked the river upstream and the water receded until they all walked across on dry ground.
Sustaining Word for the Week: What’s hindering you in your journey and spiritual growth? Life, Satan, Self—it does not matter. God always provide a way.