I'm so excited.  Tomorrow I leave for Madrid, Spain to visit my daughter Madison who is studying abroad this semester, and it's her spring break.  For the weekend, Madison will show me around town.  We might even attend a Real Madrid soccer game on Sunday, as well as worship at a local international church.  Then on Monday we leave on a six day tour of Spain, visiting such exotic places as Seville, Cordoba, Valencia, Grenada, and of course Barcelona, where we will be on Easter morning.  We have spent much time preparing for this trip, and now it's all come to fruition!

As I wind down my preparation for this trans-Atlantic sojourn, I am reminded of Jesus words to his disciples, "And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile" (Matthew 5:41). Known as one of the hard sayings of Jesus, such words remind us that discipleship calls us to go the extra mile in the journey of life. 
 
That extra mile may mean we are to cook a meal for a stranger in need, even though we have to cook for our own family and still have 10 loads of laundry to wash.  That extra mile may mean that we drop off a friend at their home even though he lives on the other side of town and you are running behind schedule.  That extra mile may mean that we stretch our resources and give generously to that good cause even as we struggle to pay all the bills and save for retirement.  That extra mile looks different for each person, but when we respond to this call, God has another opportunity to bless us. 
 
The lesson I take is that we are not to get too comfortable in what we might think is our final destination.  God may have some unexpected blessings in store for us whether we are in Johns Creek or in Spain.

Prayer for Today

Dear God, Your blessings are truly amazing, but oftentimes they demand that we go an extra mile. Help us be obedient to your call.  We also pray that you give us travel mercies, especially as we approach spring break.  Amen.