Road of No Return - Martin Wiles

For soon I must go down that road from which I will never return. Job 16:22 NLT

Roads are as different as people.

I’ve driven down mountain roads that twist and turn. Other roads are as straight as an arrow. Long stretches reach into the distance, and one can see for miles on end. Then there are the more common roads peppered with potholes.

Not so long ago, I saw something new: variegated roads. Their appearance is explained by the cost-saving efforts of local highway departments. Instead of re-asphalting the entire road, the workers simply fill in the cracks, leaving an odd appearance.

And I’ve traveled on roads where towns are separated by many miles and on others where I encounter a town every few miles.

But never have I traveled a road from which there was no return—a road that disappeared from behind me as I traveled it. Every road I’ve ever been on, I could turn around and go back the same way I came. Job, however, introduces a road of no return. 

Job’s road of no return was death. Once he traversed it, he could not return. Nor can we. And we can’t escape traveling it either. While driving, we can typically avoid certain roads by taking an alternate route. Not so with death. Unless we’re alive when Jesus returns, we will travel death’s highway.

When we travel this road, we can’t take anyone or anything along. No possessions or family members. No stocks or bonds. Or play toys. Not even our body. Our immortal soul is the only thing we’ll take. The real us. We won’t enter into soul sleep nor will we be annihilated.

The destination of this road is one of two places: heaven or hell. Which destination we reach is our choice—a choice made while we’re alive. What we do with Jesus in life doesn’t determine whether or not we travel the road of no return, but it does determine our final destination.

Once we’ve traveled the road of no return, we can’t come back to warn others about where we’ve ended up or to encourage them to visit where we are. Our chances of telling others about heaven and hell are over.

We have no choice but to travel the road of no return, but we can choose where the road takes us. Think about where your road is taking you.

Father, I thank You that the road of no return leads to an eternity with You when I make the proper preparations.

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