The Ride
“Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters — a pathway no one knew was there!” Psalm 77:19 NLT
There are several rides at Disneyland that are not what they appear. To a very young child they could be terrifying. Consider the underground playground of the Pirates of the Caribbean. You find yourself immersed in a world of reckless pirates, pillaging, burning and threatening. You pass through a raging cannon battle that apparently puts you in harm’s way.
Then there is the long-famous Jungle Cruise. Watch the face of worry on the youngest passengers as they come perilously close to man-eating crocodiles, boat-flooding waterfalls and hostile natives. The admonition to wave at those left behind at the dock because you may never see them again seems prophetic … at least to the youngest voyagers.
We could relive the Indiana Jones jeep trip … the intergalactic, out of control space ride Star Tours with an inexperienced droid at the controls! All with assured outcomes carefully programmed beforehand.
As a junior high student in the 50s, I watched the televised documentary on the building of the ‘Magic Kingdom’ and saw the tracks being laid before water covered them. There was never a question of the destination being safely reached.
And we watch with amusement as Israel, newly released from Egypt, find themselves on a ride they’ve never been on before. The allusion at the Red Sea is similar to what the designers of Disney’s attractions work so hard to convey … there is no hope ahead, only danger. The attack is about to sweep over you and there is nowhere to turn. Maybe you were foolish to have embarked on the journey!
Ah, there is One who has designed the ‘ride’ and underneath are not only the everlasting wings, but the spiritual track that guarantees us getting to the destination safe and intact!
May there be joy (and excitement) on your journey!
Paul Walterman