1. Road Construction
By Les Lamborn
We have been delivered from the law, . . . so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit.
—Romans 7:6
Here in Michigan we joke that we have two seasons: winter and road construction. Harsh
winters damage road surfaces, so repair crews begin their work as soon as the ice melts and
the ground thaws. Although we call this work “construction,” much of what they do looks like
“destruction.” In some cases, simply patching holes is not an option. Workers have to replace
the old road with a new one.
That’s what it can feel like when God is at work in our lives. Throughout the Old Testament, God
told His people to expect some major renovation on the road between Him and them . When
God sent Jesus, it seemed to the Jews as if their way to God was being destroyed. But Jesus
wasn’t destroying anything. He was completing it (Matt. 5:17). The old way paved with laws
became a new way paved with the sacrificial love of Jesus.
God is still at work replacing old ways of sin and legalism with the way of love that Jesus
completed. When He removes our old ways of thinking and behaving, it may feel as if
everything familiar is being destroyed. But God is not destroying anything; He is building a
better way. And we can be confident that the end result will be smoother relationships with
others and a closer relationship with Him. —Julie Ackerman Link
Free from the law—O happy condition!
Jesus has bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace has redeemed us once for all. —Bliss
Upheaval often precedes spiritual progress.
~Psalms 33-34; Acts 24