Note: This is the fifth article in a series called Two Roads. Previous articles are always available at http://www.webbweekly.com.

In addition to death, gravity, and grace, let’s consider the other things found on both the roads, the Road to Death and the Road to Life.
Rest Stops

Traveling consumes resources. A traveler must stop and refuel regularly. This is true on both roads. Remember, there are only two roads; you’re traveling on one of them right now.

A rest stop provides an offramp without ever taking you off the road you’re on. It’s not an exit. When you leave a rest stop, an onramp puts you back on the same road.

Rest stops are necessary and good. God designed them into creation. On the seventh day, He rested from work. See Genesis 2:2. He even included rest stops in the Ten Commandments. He called them Sabbath days. See Exodus 20:8-11. Jesus regularly used rest stops. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

James Howell wrote about weariness and the need for rest stops in 1659. His proverb is so timeless that we still quote it today: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

One of the biggest mistakes travelers make is not resting regularly and fully. Weariness is dangerous on both roads. It makes us dull. It diminishes awareness, slows reflexes, and results in poor decision-making.

Yes, on the road to Life, regular rest is vital. Weary Life-road travelers will sometimes make very risky decisions, and at high elevations, doing so can result in a devastating fall.

“No U-Turn” Signs

If you miss a turn or change your mind as you’re traveling, a U-Turn can fix it. A U-Turn takes you back to a place you’ve already passed and lets you make a different decision. It’s a do-over, a second chance to get it right. When you need it, a U-Turn is a blessing.

However, the Road to Death and the Road to Life are both plastered with “No U-Turn” signs. There is no going back, no do-overs, no second chances. Once a decision is made, it can never be unmade. Once something is said, it can never be unsaid. All travel on both roads is relentlessly forward. There is no going back, no U-turns. This is one of the hardest realities we face as travelers.

With that in mind, it is vital that all travelers be aware of one more item found on both roads.

Exit Ramps

While there are no U-Turns, there are exit ramps on both roads. Because there are two roads, you always have the option of leaving the road you’re on and joining the other.

For those traveling the road to Death, exit ramps are always just ahead. You can leave the road to Death whenever you want. God’s grace is always putting an exit ramp right in front of you. It’s possible this article is today’s exit ramp, a grace provided by God to help you see it and take it. Friend, you can exit the road that leads to Death right now. Read John 3. Remember, grace is available, and it can empower you to overcome the force of gravity that is pulling you toward Death.

For those travelling on the road to Life, exit ramps are also available, but they lead to steep cliffs and dangerous drop-offs.

Travelers on the road to Life gain elevation. When they choose to exit the road to Life, gravity takes over, and it pulls them toward a cliff, a tragic fall, and a devastating impact.

But grace is fierce. It doesn’t release its grip easily. Travelers on the road to Life who contemplate taking an exit ramp will encounter warning signs and waving red flags, letting them know they are approaching a cliff.

Fellow traveler on the road to Life, is it possible you are contemplating an exit right now? You are weary and worn. You’ve been faithfully serving God. You’ve been selfless and willing to sacrifice to do the right thing, to be the right thing. You have gained elevation. You are well-respected, and your world is a better place because of you, but it has come at a painful cost to you.

The drudgery of Life’s demands and its never-ending drama has you exhausted. Your spouse doesn’t understand. Your kids don’t understand. Your friends at church don’t understand. You’re tired and just want an escape — a little “me” time.

And why not? You deserve it. Life owes you that.

Is it a physical or emotional fling with someone paying attention to you at work or church? Is it a chance at easy money or a quick high? Is it a fantasy you want to indulge in online? What form of escape are you contemplating today? What exit ramp looks appealing to you?

Whatever it is, this series of articles is your warning sign, a waving red flag that danger is ahead. If you don’t heed the warning, you will fall, and the consequences will be devastating to you and everyone around you.

Next week’s article will look at three laws every traveler on the road to Life must learn and heed.

In the meantime, I pray that you will take a hard look at the exit ramp you are considering and its destructive consequences. Escape is not the answer. God, please, help my fellow traveler on the road to Life see the danger that is just ahead. Empower your grace to pull extra hard on them today. Give them plenty of warning signs and waving red flags. Oh, by the way, I need those things too. Amen.