Destination according to the Cambridge dictionary is a place to which someone or something is going or being sent or taken. According to yourdictionary.com, destination is the place to which one is going or directed or the end for which something or someone is destined and the ultimate purpose for which something is created or intended. That is, the purpose or place. Destination is simply an end point of a journey, meaning there is no destination without a journey whether short or long.
Journey is the act of traveling from one place to another. To every journey there is always a take off point and there is a route which is the established line of travel or access and direction to the destination.
It is crucial in every journey to know or at least have the knowledge of the destination before taking off or for one to figure out the destination quickly even if others have designed and organized the journey without your consent from the onset as this will help to decide if the journey is to be continued or if a change of direction is the right thing to do.
1Peter 2; 11 says “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (ESV)
As believers it is portentous for us to know that we are all sojourners here on earth and what we do here determines our destination at the end of our journey here on earth – i.e., at death; weather it’d be heaven or hell. It is a spiritual journey where we are continually confronted by twists, turns, setbacks, other challenges and growth in stages.
Having an understanding of the Christian life as a journey through the world offers us a vivid and helpful way of visualizing the life of faith and righteousness. It reminds us that we are going somewhere. We are on our way to the New Jerusalem. It encourages us to think ahead, and look forward with anticipation to the joy of arrival. One day we shall finally be with God, and see our Lord face to face!
The Christian Journey is a process of learning and growing. It is a process of coming to know ourselves honestly and our Creator intimately via a healthy and sound relationship with our Maker. The journey is in itself a process, which enables us to grow and develop as we press on to our goal.
One of the most helpful ways of analyzing the life of a Christian is to see it as a journey. We must believe that this journey is worth undertaking. The journey itself offers us the chance to deepen our commitment to its ultimate goal, the destination “eternity”. As we travel, we have the opportunity of reflecting on our goal, and anticipating our arrival. Anticipation of the joy of reaching that goal then becomes a means of sustaining us as we travel. Many biblical figures were called upon to undergo an epic journey like Moses leading his people out of slavery and Jesus teaching the way of God throughout the Middle East.
The crucial element of a journey is having a mission you aim to fulfill that is almost always met with adversity and challenges. In those difficult times of the journey, we can be inspired by the word of God to give us strength and direction. The Bible itself is richly textured with this image. Perhaps the greatest of those was the forty-year journey of the people of Israel from their harsh realities in Egypt to the promised land of Canaan. Elsewhere, we read of Abraham stepping out in faith to leave the land of his ancestors, and go to a place chosen by God. He did not know where he was going, but he knew who he would be travelling with – and that was good enough for him.
Spiritual writers of the middle ages used the Latin word “viator” to refer to the believer on the road to heaven. The word literally means ‘a wayfarer’ or ‘a traveler’ – someone who is passing through the world. The term points to the need to see oneself as a sojourner, not a settler; someone who is passing through the world, not one who expects or wants to remain there – but as one who is certainly prepared to lend a hand to make things better as he passes through. We ought not to rest in the world and its fleeting benefits, but should desire heaven. We ought above all things to desire a heavenly happiness; to be with God and Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20-21. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (ESV).
On this journey, the most important item is the compass which is our navigational instrument for finding our way. The compass here is the HOLY BIBLE that is used for finding direction throughout our journey on earth. The moment you stop consulting the compass, you start losing direction. If you truly desire a relatively smooth journey in this world, then you must make the Bible your companion, read and meditate on it daily not just for your own direction but use it to help others find direction as well. When the journey seems smooth, use it to sustain yourself, when the journey seems rough, use it to encourage and maintain your focus, when you are at crossroads and confused, use it to find direction. Keep it handy and read it at all time with the sole aim of acting on all the instructions therein.
Most believers have become so occupied with demands of this temporary abode of ours that we are gradually beginning to lose sight of our main goal in this journey – i.e., eternity. We are so engrossed with the demands of our earthly relevance and successes that we live like we are never going to exit this terrestrial plane. We rely so much on the information available to us and our technological advancement that we begin to forget the place of spirituality, we live as though the very breathe in us belongs to us, we are so careful in choosing those that can help us fulfill destiny in our career paths but not so careful in choosing those that will help us achieve our ultimate goal of making heaven. In our places of work and business environments we intentionally and strategically associate ourselves with the best and the most successful individuals not caring if these people are mindful of eternity or not. Read 1Corinthians 15:33, 34.
Despite Moses’ sacrifices and exploits the devil still had to fight for his corpse because of his human weakness, anger. He and Aaron never got the destination of their journey on earth. Moses and Aaron ended up in heaven but the same can’t be said of Judas Iscariot who worked closely with Jesus Christ. Eternity should be our focus no matter what. Read; Numbers 20 and Jude 1:9,
The question now is, if you are to end your journey now, what is your destination?
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