Time Travel

I love to travel. I have discovered that there are times when traveling down the road is not only a linear journey from one place to another, but it involves time travel as well. In Boston when I walked by the Old North Church, I could see the lanterns in the tower. When I walked across the battlefield at Gettysburg, I could hear the guns firing and smell the smoke that must have been hanging everywhere, and sadly I could visualize the bodies of dead soldiers carpeting the land.

When I was in the Holy Land we stopped at the Chapel of the Beatitudes. We sat there in silence for several minutes and listened to the sounds coming from the hills around us. The sounds were reflected off of the water of the Sea of Galilee. We heard children playing, dogs barking, birds singing, and people talking. Then, our guide began to read the beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew. It felt like we were listening to Jesus speak to us. It felt like we had a rare glimpse of what it must have been like to hear Jesus bring love and hope to people by the words he spoke. No wonder the crowds followed him.

Linear travel is wonderful. We get to see so much more of our world. Linear travel allows us the privilege to discover all the places God has given us that are filled with beauty and mystery. But time travel puts us in touch with our ancestors and with the God of creation. Time travel can give us hope and courage as we remember those who have gone before us on the journey and who have lived in the confidence of God’s redeeming love. What a gift we have been given by those who have gone before us on the journey!

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Rev. Jerry Tubach Walking the Road

Jerry Tubach is Asbury's Director of Development. He is a retired United Methodist Clergy and former District Superintendent. He lives with his wife Sheila in Lenexa. Email him at jerryt@visitasbury.org.