The Mother Of All Traffic Jams

Few enjoy the sght of a long string of red tail lights coming into view as they round the bend on the highway expecting to arrive at their destination rested and hopefully somewhere near their appointed time. And very few who live anywhere near a larger metropolitan area have not experienced the frustration of sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for construction or some other reason.

But now the term “traffic jam” has taken on a whole new meaning – at least near the capital of China. A section of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highway in Huailai was the site of a sixty-mile backup. The mega-mess began with construction on August 13th on the road also known as National Highway 110.

Part of the problem stems from the fact that automobile sales in China passed the U.S. for the first time last year when 13.6 million vehicles where sold. The country is now playing catch up and racing to provide adequate roads for the scores of new drivers. To make matters worse, many existing roads are in poor condition and need improvement due to the extra wear and tear from trucks carrying illegally heavy loads.

The jam even affected downtown traffic in Beijing. And on top of the obvious irritation of those crawling through the area at a snail’s pace, some residents in the area were offering food, water and other needed items at outrageous prices to the helpless victims caught in the worst ‘web of driving woe’ ever!

The thought of a 60-mile traffic jam is beyond the ability of most of us to fathom. I sometimes get edgy when sitting at a light for 60 seconds if no one passes through the intersection as I sit there.

But patience is something spoken of at length in the Scriptures. One of the better known passages would be James 1:1-5 that states, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Later in the same wisdom book, it is the Lord Himself who is used as the ultimate example of patience for the benefit of those of His family to emulate. “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure." (James 5:9-11) Other examples of the value of this godly trait are seen in verses like Colossians 1:10-12 and Romans 15:4-6.

The jam in China was a vivid reminder of the difficulty, but the value, of having patience. It brought to mind a cute little song we used to play for our children – but one that impacted me as well. The main, but clever, line was, “I just can’t wait to have patience.”

But the ultimate form of patience is spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. It relates the need to wait patiently, and be fully ready for, the Lord’s return to claim His redeemed church. Verse 15 begins, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

The church has been waiting some 2,000 years for this great promise and may need to be patient just a little while longer. But when this most special and miraculous of all moments arrives, literally millions will rise from their graves with no worry of even a split second of delay or waiting in line. The patience sometimes desperately needed to face life’s trials will be over and the highway to heaven will be clear and lightning fast. Once in God’s presence, the difficulties of this life will be erased forever and a new life of blessing, worship, and joy will takes its place forever! Until that day, every believer should attempt to duplicate the example of their brethren in the faith in the fledgling church described in 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10.

"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Bill Breckenridge