Not long ago my car crossed the 120,000 miles mark.
At first, this was a depressing realization. Seeing your miles climb further and further isn’t exactly exciting. I began to worry about how much longer it’ll last or what might soon go wrong. After all, things always go wrong, right?
But then I realized something.
Each mile is a reason to be grateful. Every mile on the odometer is a mile I was carried forward by a machine I didn't make or buy—I simply received.
The 120,000 miles on my car have carried me to the beach with friends, home from college, to the doctor’s office when sick, to job after job, to weekly worship with God’s people, and to the site of an uncountable number of memories.
Each mile is a reason to be grateful.
Each one a gift.
The miles on my car are a subtle reminder of the grace of God. Like the many unseen parts and plugs keeping my car running and carrying me forward, every day I’m carried forward by a grace I cannot see and a God whose continuously working in the background.
There’s not a moment in my life where grace is not operating in unseen realms, where Jehovah is not at work.
Paul was onto something when he wrote to the Corinthians,
“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (4:8 ESV).
Every second of my existence is wrapped up in grace. Every accomplishment and every good gift the fruit of a hidden strength I did nothing to earn. The miles on my car are an ever growing reminder of this.
Looking for reasons to be grateful? Look no further than your mileage.
Oh….and one more thing.
When I first started this newsletter I was terrified. I didn't know if people would read it, I didn’t really know what all I would talk about either.
But today is a huge milestone—> it’s 6 months straight of CrossTalk coming out weekly.
And I have to say, this newsletter is a highlight of my week. It’s been a blessing to me in so many ways and I’m so thankful for each one of you who take time out of your day each week to read it.
When I first started my goals were simply to stay consistent and have at least one person be encouraged by the newsletter each week. I pray you’ve fallen into that latter category. My greatest joy is hearing how others have been blessed by these words. I hope this continues!
So, all that to say, THANK YOU!