I Would Drive 240 Miles - by Mandy Kelsch

“But I would walk five hundred miles

And I would walk five hundred more

Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles

To fall down at your door” - The Proclaimers

I’ve always loved the 80’s song by The Proclaimers, “500 Miles.” It sounds so romantic in a purely hypothetical way. I can’t imagine a scenario in which someone would need to do this to demonstrate love.

The same is often true in how we speak about our relationship with God. We can be extreme in our hypotheticals: “I would die for my faith!” “I would do anything for God!” Yet, I’ve found it’s the daily reality that counts.

I became a Christian on summer break in Columbus, Ohio. A few days later, I returned to start my sophomore year at Bowling Green State University. 120 miles away.

On perhaps the most significant leap of faith I’ve ever made, I began commuting every weekend to spend time with a campus ministry at Ohio State filled with college students striving to live as disciples of Jesus and to worship on Sundays with a church teaching biblical truth. At the time, I didn’t own a car, so I rode with a friend who also traveled every weekend to visit her boyfriend. One weekend she asked me, “Why do you go so far out of your way to go to this particular church? There are a lot of churches where we live.”

I redirected the question to her, “Why do you travel so far to see your boyfriend? There are plenty of guys where we live.”

I honestly wasn’t trying to be snarky. I had often asked myself why I was committing to something that seemed crazy to everyone around me (and myself sometimes).

 Perhaps there was a portion of the body of Christ closer that would have helped me to stay strong spiritually and live like Jesus. But God hadn’t led me to any so far. He had led me to this church with people who not only taught me the gospel that saved my soul but showed me how to live it out day to day, encouraged and admonished me, and taught me how to pass that on to others. It just happened to be two hours away. If I were to walk away from this church to find something closer, it would be merely for convenience sake just like if my friend dumped her boyfriend and settled for someone down the street.

That’s when I started asking myself some important questions:

Do I abandon my family relationships when it becomes inconvenient? Will I choose a conveniently located spouse? Do people participate in only the sports and hobbies that are closest to them? Will I base my career solely on commuting distance?

How far will people travel to see a concert or sporting event, purchase an item they desire or eat at a restaurant?

We are willing to go out of our way for so many things, yet most people choose to attend the church closest to their house.

This revelation did not just apply to the number of miles I drove to spend time with other like-minded followers of Jesus. I reexamined my entire life considering the time, effort, money, and passion I put toward secular pursuits. Did I do the same for God?

Jesus tells us we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Have you ever wished the first and foremost commandment was just a bit more specific?

It isn’t easy to determine if our love for God is genuinely wholehearted. I have often wished God could give me a quarterly report card. I’ve had a good track record with report cards. The thing is, school never had my whole heart, just enough of it to get the grades I wanted.

These parallels help me examine my heart. When I consider what I am capable of in other areas of my life, what I am willing to sacrifice, the literal or figurative distance I am willing to travel, I will not allow myself to give God less than that. He asks for all that and more whether it’s 1,000 miles or just 240.