The Road to Nowhere

Psalm 145:13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.  The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

In our most recent trip to the North Carolina Nantahalas and Smoky Mountains, my husband, Danny, and I decide to explore what the locals call "The Road to Nowhere."  How did it get its name?  You can read all about its history in detail here, but I'll give you a brief synopsis:

In 1943, in the middle of WW11, the federal government wanted to build a hydroelectric dam (Fontana) in this area of North Carolina.  This required displacing 1,300 families from the valleys which would be flooded.  In order to convince these people to leave, the government promised them two things: 1) that Swain County, their county of residence, would be compensated monetarily for the loss of Hwy. 288 which ran through the valley, and 2) a road would be built so that displaced families could continue to visit and tend to their ancestral graveyards high in the hills.  Neither promise was kept.

The Road to Nowhere is a breathtaking, winding six-mile ride ending in a 1/4 mile long, and daunting, tunnel.  We enjoy every minute of the scenery as we drive up there.  We even dare to enter the tunnel and walk through to the other side.  It sure gives a whole new meaning to the adage "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!"

But, our adventure is bittersweet.  We can't help but think of the poor families who were not only forced from their land (with no financial assistance, I might add), but also could never again visit their family cemeteries.  All because two promises, which should have been easy to keep, were callously broken.  

While men and women break their promises, we can take comfort in knowing that "the Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does."  We can count on God to do what He says He will do.  We can depend on His word.  We can rejoice in the promise of salvation through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And, when we follow Jesus, we can rest assured that He is leading us down The Road to Somewhere.

~

What is the worst broken promise you ever experienced?  Did you ever make a promise you couldn't or wouldn't keep?

Prayer:  We are so grateful, Father, that we can always count on You to keep Your promises to us, Your children.  Help us to follow through on the promises we make to others, and not make ones we cannot keep.  In Jesus' name, amen.