The Name of the Road

    The Name of the Road           11/28/93

Some two thousand years ago
A road was opened
And you would think that a road so old would be known
You would think it would be known
Yes, it is a road still
I travel on it day by day, every day of my life

You and I, we each have a road that starts with our birth
And leads us through life,
And ends.
It ends at a grave.
But this road that I know, it was opened.

It starts with a birth as well,
And it leads us through life
But it does not end--
It has no end
The grave is not it's destination.

This road I know, it is the road that leads to home.
You would think that a road so old would be known
Especially because so many of us have no home
We wander homeless on wide roads leading everywhere
By the millions we wander
For the heart, in the end, wants only peace, and home.
At least, I can speak for my heart.
This hectic world, this road that began my life, what peace here?
This is not my home.

But the road that was opened some time ago,
This would I choose, and it is a road to this day.
So I travel on, sometimes so bone weary
That I would leave my bones behind;
Leave them on the road that leads to the grave
While I go on, unencumbered by the weight of the flesh.



I will tell you the name of this road,
For the Name is easy to remember.
The name of this road is Jesus.

You would think that a name so old would be known
Yes, it is a name reaching to this very day
I call Him, day by day, every day of my life

You and I, we each have a name that starts with our birth,
And who remembers it after we die?  Is it buried like the bones
Does it stop, like the road to the grave?
This Jesus was given some two thousand years ago,
Given at a birth with great implication
Cursed on a tree with infamy
But the grave was not His destination.
And He who bore the Name did not have to leave His bones behind.

What seemed unbelievable to us was true.
A Road that leads to Life, unencumbered by the grave.
A man like us, who opened a door homeward that will not be shut.
It pleased God to dwell with us, in him whom the prophet called
Immanuel.

See, how the light plays on this Road?  The shadow of the cross
It dances in the light of this Road
And the further down this Road I go, the brighter the light becomes
He is smiling at my heart, which is leaping like a fawn
Leaping!
For look, there,
There is Zion!  Zion!  My ancient home!
And Jesus,
The Way, the Truth, and the Life:
My everlasting home, my peace, and the Beloved of my heart
My delight
My eternal life!

Find this road.  It is a better road.
                                    ©1993 Sidney Couch