Driving along I-40 can be stressful due to all the semis blaring by you or worse—creating a moving roadblock you can’t get around. In my selfish moments, I wish them all away. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the road all to ourselves?
Actually, while it might be lovely for a day, in the long run, it wouldn’t be nice at all. It would be a catastrophe! Imagine how the world would come grinding to a halt if all those pesky delivery trucks were removed from our highways and byways. A few days later, stores would be emptied, businesses ruined, and Amazon no more (sniff, tear). Carriers of every form truly keep the world turning our way.
This is just one of the countless different ways we as humans are called to rule and steward God’s world. In the beginning, God created humankind in his image, and he blessed them, and said, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over all creation” (Genesis 1:28–29). Humans have been doing this from the very beginning, albeit often in destructive and harmful ways. But through Christ, God is restoring his image bearers so that we will rule rightly over his world, which is why the church should pray for those who work in different vocations, and it’s why we bless things like delivery trucks.
On December 31, I had the privilege of leading a small service with Donna Taylor, Charlie Richards, and his new truck. Our hope was to communicate to Charles, and all of us like him, that what we do everyday matters. God is at work through our vocations. He has called each of us to a specific place, a specific job, for a specific purpose. So keep up the good work!
May Almighty God, who grants to his image bearers authority to rule his good creation on his behalf, go before and behind you, protect and guide your travels, fill this truck as well as your heart with his joy and peace, and bless all the work you do herein; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, surround this vehicle and remain with you, its driver, always. Amen.