Today was painfully long and frighteningly fun. We took the three hour winding trek in our trusty rental to Hana…and beyond. You’ve got to understand that taking the road to Hana is a rite of passage out here. There are many who turn back. While it’s technically only 130 miles or so from our hotel, the road to Hana includes something like 56 bridges and 600 twists and turns in the narrow winding way to the small jungle village. Maybe that’s why they sell “I survived the road to Hana” T Shirts at small huts along the way.
We not only survived, but we thrived on the road to Hana. We pulled over and witnessed some of the most beautiful beaches, waterfalls and landscape you could imagine. But these amazing scenes came at a high price, that many tourists aren’t willing to pay. Many turn back to get back on the much more smooth, much more straight, much more fast highways back to their luxury hotels, condos or time shares.
This twisted, twisting, turning adventure all made me think of Jesus’ words to his disciples,
“Broad is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the path that leads to eternal life.”
You see the road to heaven is a lot like the road to Hana. It’s narrow, dangerous and full of hard rights and quick lefts. The road to heaven is Jesus himself and traveling through Him, by Him and to Him can be exciting, scary and exhilarating (but I bet you he never runs out of gas on the top of a volcano…see previous post to understand this particular point.) The narrow road to salvation is a painful path, paved with the blood of the Son and the suffering of the saints. He is the only way, the only path, the only truth, the only road that leads to the breathtaking beauty of heaven.
Meanwhile the highway to hell is broad and big. It is a four lane highway that promises luxury suites, endless cocktail parties and beautiful sand beaches. It is the smooth road of personal pleasure or self righteous religion. But at the end there’s a drop off, a big one, that leads to the flames of eternal suffering and pain.
What’s the point? Take the long, winding, rocky road to Hana heaven or take the highway to hell.
Your choice.
