“Are we almost there, daddy?”   Lets see now, how many times did that make? Nine? Ten? One hundred? Or did it just seem that way? The voice came from a small child in the back seat of the car. One of the two beautiful girls that God blessed me with. Only right this minute I wasn’t fully enjoying the blessing! Then it dawned on me – I’m being paid back! I remember asking the same question when I was a child – over and over and over again! Just then, a small voice from the back seat interupted my nostalgia: “Are we almost there?” Those days are gone now.

Now my kids are grown with children of their own. I’d almost give anything to hear that small voice ask that question again…almost! Why does a child ask that question so often while riding in the car? Could it be that they are bored? Hungry or thirsty? Need to stop at the filling station (again!)? Or maybe they are just tired of the long ride. After all, what seems like just a few moments to an adult can seem like an eternity to a child. Sometimes when I am weary of the battles of life, I feel like going to my Heavenly Father and asking: “Are we almost there?”

Isn’t it true that we sometimes hunger for something more than what this world has to offer? Don’t we on occasion get bored of all the glitter and hype that is thrown before us everyday? And while there are many days when the journey is pleasant, haven’t we all experienced those dark days when we are tired of the long ride? Paul knew we would have days like that. That is why he wrote “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Gal 6:9 NKJV)

Be patient! The ride will be over sooner than any of us realize! And there is still much to do! This is the time that He is giving us to carry out His will. This is the time that He is giving us to get to know Him better. This is the time He is giving us to reach our friends for Christ. This is the time that He is giving us to prepare for eternity. We cannot afford to waste the time that we have. Yet once in a while, we get tired. And once in a while, I want to ask my Heavenly Father the same question my children kept asking me: “are we almost there?” I can imagine Him giving the same answer that I always gave: “Almost!”          

   Jim Gillaspie is minister of the Kentucky Avenue Church of Christ, Louisville, KY.