In my life's journey, there have always been people where my heart and mind go. I must have had many relationships with them, and the journey I took in those relationships is the "road" I want to talk about today. 

  Last week, I had a meaningful part-time job. Over the course of two days and three nights, we drove and sometimes walked on many roads. Sometimes they were big boulevards, sometimes they were highways, sometimes they were city streets, sometimes they were narrow and narrow. Looking back, everything we've traveled or are currently traveling on is a road.

  When I look back, I realize that every road I've traveled has been important and meaningful. There have been times when I've traveled at high speeds and saved a lot of time, and there have been times when I've been thrilled to be on the open road. On the other hand, there have been times when I've been stuck in heavy traffic, running late for appointments, feeling restless, especially when my limbs ached and my stomach felt like it was going to explode.

  On other occasions, I've been inspired to be broad-minded as the road crosses open meadows on both sides, and at other times I've been moved by the narrowness of the roads as I've wandered through them and seen things that I would have missed in the fast lane. You can see that this whole journey is taking place on the Way.

  As I meditate on this Way, I've been gifted with new insights from the Psalm 119 lectionary I started earlier this year. Crucially, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v. 105), which I think sums up the entire Bible. Just as there are many paths in life, so there are many ways in Psalm 119. There are good ways and bad ways. There are commands, words, and promises.

  The important thing is that in order to walk all of these roads, we all have to make choices. It's common knowledge that when traveling on Route 1 across New Zealand, there are countless choices to be made. But the choices are never simple because they have consequences. I don't think this outcome can be transferred to anyone else, which is why we worry and sometimes lose sleep over it. 

  But the gospel that is given to us on this journey of life is the gospel that Jesus himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) I believe this is the Good News that provides a neat answer. 

  I'm seeing a generation that's falling for the illusion that Google's recently upgraded Nevi and its revolutionary AI and ChatGPT will replace this path. They are tempting and threatening, but we must remember that they are no substitute for Jesus, who is the way of truth and the way to life.