Left Lane Closed

T

he construction crews continued to work next door to my apartment complex. For the past year, they had been building a new community of townhouses that would be available to the public.  The progress of this team had been staggering.  Almost overnight, the vacant lot adjacent to our complex had grown into a beautiful, vibrant community filled with beautiful new homes.

At times, it had been a challenge negotiating around heavy equipment including graders, bulldozers, steam shovels, and the scores of workers charged with the responsibility of constructing these homes.  For the most part, everything had gone smoothly with very few interruptions to the flow of traffic on our street.  But one day, that changed just a little bit.

As the crew completed the construction, they had been busy reshaping the road outside my complex.  This was no small task as were six lanes of traffic which constantly used this road.  The project involved creating a turning lane so that westbound traffic could make a left-hand turn into the complex.  In order to do this, the island separating the westbound traffic from the eastbound traffic had been isolated and was being reconfigured.  This meant that the left-hand lane on the westbound side was closed.  Signs in the road gave ample warning that the left lane was closed but traffic still piled up.  I had to make a left-hand turn myself just after the construction site so you can imagine how fun it was to maneuver from left to right and back to left just to get home.  I was ready for the Indy 500.

The project was completed by the following week and things once again returned to their normal, hectic pace.  But the sign indicating the left lane was closed had given me great cause for reflection about the road signs we often encounter along life’s highway and the changes we have to make in order to arrive safely home.  The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, understood road construction; but he also knew it wouldn’t last forever.

In Isaiah 40:4 we read these words, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and will made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.” As is usually the case in Israel’s history, she found herself in the middle of a construction zone.  The direct lane of traffic had been cut off, barriers had been erected, and the long process of road construction had begun.  Although God had promised a Messiah would come, there was much construction necessary to prepare the way for his arrival.  Isaiah was in the middle of this construction but he knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Notice that his words look forward to the coming of God’s chosen Messiah, Jesus Christ. His speech is full of optimism and expectation.  The difficulties Isaiah encountered could not deter him from looking ahead to the day when the road work would be completed and God’s promise would be fulfilled.  Every pot hole, every dip in the road, and every low place would be raised and filled and all the rough places would be smoothed over.  In God’s perfect timing, Isaiah knew the road would be completed and traffic would flow unhindered.

Are you in a similar place as Isaiah?  Do you see signs telling you that the left lane is closed, forcing you to alter your course and switch lanes?  Does it seem the construction will never end and that the road conditions grow worse and worse instead of improving?  Take heart, trust the Lord, and know that the road construction is necessary so your journey can continue unhindered at a later time.  The work God does today will be invaluable to you in the future.  New construction always requires some demolition but in the end the new additions are vastly superior to the current situation.  If the left lane is closed, just change lanes and keep going.  The project will be finished and much sooner than you think!