My family used to live in a very small town in Florida called Campbellton. It was one of those places that if you blinked a couple of times you would pass right through it without even knowing it.
When I was younger I hated living in that small town. There was absolutely nothing to do there but work at our Mom and Pop store/vegetable stand.
I pumped fuel into the cars of the tourist who were passing through and sold them fruits and veggies for their vacation stay elsewhere.
I could smell the Coppertone suntan lotion on them, from their stay at the beach and I dreamed of the day I might get to go to the beach as well.
To this day I cannot smell that suntan lotion without thinking of that small town with all the beach goers just passing through.
The tourist, as we called them, also loved browsing through our unusual inventory of mostly "junk" that my dad called his valued inventory. But as the old saying goes, "one man's junk is another man's treasure.
To be very honest, I am so thankful that I don't live in that small town anymore. However, there was a very significant event that took place in that small town when I was 12 years of age.
My Mom, dad, sister, and I were baptized together at the First Baptist church of Campbellton (the oldest Baptist church in Florida).
When I pass through that small town now, I think of all the hard work I had to do there and I remember all the tourist that were just passing through.
Yet even though I would not want to go back to that place to stay, I am very thankful that I gave my life to Christ as I was "passing through" that little town.
Those days of living in that little town were very hard days in my life. Too many hard days to share in this post. Yet I am thankful for those days as I look back at the things God accomplished in my life in this small town.
I learned how to pump gas, and how to sell all sorts of things to all sorts of people who were mostly passing through. I learned how to work hard and how to communicate with people I had never met and probably would never meet again.
Once we even had a lady who called herself a gypsy spend a few days with us. She only had one leg and her car was packed with all her "stuff".
I still remember her smell. It was that of strange smelling spices. What were my parents thinking?!
She too, being the gypsy that she claimed to be, was only passing through this small town.
As I reflect on the time I spent in this small town and all the people I met who were only passing through, I am reminded of this scripture in Isaiah.
Isaiah 43:1-3
..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And when you pass through the rivers,
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you
Will not be burned;
The flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."
I am thankful that I was only passing through Campbellton, Florida but I have to remember that one of the most significant things that ever happened in my life took place in that small town...I met my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 12.
I don't know where you are in life but I can tell you this, you are "just passing through."
There is a popular country song called "Don't Blink" that really describes how quickly our time flies.
And whether we are in a storm or in a fire we must remember that we are only passing through and it is a place where our Savior will meet us and see us through to a better place. Don't blink and miss that time, whether it be a hard time or a good time, Jesus is with us.
All those times of wishing I was one of those tourist going to the beach became a reality in my life later on. My Savior thought it pleasing to move me from that small town to the beach life.
Yes, I moved to Panama City Beach and have spent many days on the beach smelling that wonderful Coppertone lotion.
I still live close to the beach and I am so grateful that I was just passing through that small town of Campbellton, Florida.
If you are in a place that you hate, or a place that is hard don't let it "stop you". Remember that with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is with us always until the end, we are "Just passing through".
Enjoy the journey. Better things are yet to come!
Wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ,
What a great promise in your Word that we are just passing through. We are grateful that we know our destination when we know you. That destination is a perfect place called our heavenly home. May we enjoy this short journey on our way home to you. Help us not to blink but live each day to the fullest and hang on tightly to you when we pass through the storms of life. We love you and thank you in advance for the lessons we will learn and cherish as we are just passing through. In your name we pray Jesus, amen.
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