Incomparable Riches...Do You See Them?

Day one of my victory from cancer treatment adventure.

I arrived safely in Richmond, after rerouting my drive to avoid the turmoil area of Charlotte following the terrible events of rioting right along my route. I prayed for my city as I drove, wondering how anyone hopes to solve anything by looting and attacking innocent businesses and officers.

I checked into the hotel, and within half an hour was out the door on the Richmond Capital Trail bike path. This  paved 52-mile bike path goes from the historic Virginia capital of Williamsburg to the present capital of Richmond. I will not be able to bike the entire path (this trip!) but I will try to do 30 or 40 miles of it today. Yesterday I did 25, some of it in the rain. It was glorious.

 The first few miles of it start off along the James River Canal, and that is really beautiful. That only lasts about three miles and soon, the path meanders along a country road and through fields of corn and other crops.  Portions of the trail are forested, but most of it that I was able to bike yesterday was along quiet rural roads and developments.

 After I turned around (when the rain picked up), I ended up along a section of the canal I had never seen on my previous Richmond trips. Richmond is a city that is doing everything right, in my opinion. They have taken full advantage of the beautiful James River and historic old canal, and built a stunning walkway and bike-path along it, with all kinds of beautiful buildings, restaurants, and river-view apartments and condos. Charlotte - PAY ATTENTION.

Surprisingly, not a single person in my hotel knew about the bike path, or how to get there from the hotel. It was 1 mile away! How could they be sitting on this gold mine and  not even know it exists???

And that got me to thinking about God, and Jesus, and the incredible gift of salvation that we all could access...but so few of us do. We are sitting on a GOLD MINE of joy, mercy, grace, and eternal life...and so many of us don't even attempt to access it.

This breaks my heart.

After my bike ride, I watched the sun set over the James River, as the lights of the city flickered on in the waning light.

Let them see you Lord, I prayed. My city, my friends, my loved ones...don't let them be so close to incomparable riches and not even know it exists. Please Lord. Open their eyes and their hearts to you.

******************
Matthew 13:15-16 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.