I have heard of the Inside Passage for much of my life. It’s a route specific to Alaskan and Canadian waters on the west coast of those principalities.
Here’s the Wikipedia definition: The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland.
But doesn’t the name “Inside Passage” sound like so much more? Think shortcut, protected route, even privileged or almost secret corridor. As in, “I found an inside passage that will deliver us to our destination!”
Seems like the stuff of hide and seek, or an episode of the Amazing Race. Titles can suggest such things. Couple a few words together and you open the imagination to new vistas and horizons.
A passage way offers conduit toward something on the other end: safety, knowledge, intrigue even. An inside passage feels like an acceleration of those possibilities.
Maybe life presents its set of anticipated and unanticipated inside passages? For example, I have been anticipating this trip through the inside passage ever since we booked our Alaskan cruise. Truth be told I’ve anticipated it much longer than that as it’s been a “bucket list” destination of mine,
Yet there are more of these journeys. Having a child causes one to enter the inside passage of parenthood. Losing a loved one prompts entry to the inside passage of grief. Achieving educational or professional goals might open inside passageways related to those experiences.
Faith in Christ seems to fall into these waters. For many it is the assurance of an inside passage to heaven one day. While that’s true, and I do anticipate it, for me the passage opened by such faith is an ever present reality and not just a future hope. Faith in Christ enters one on a journey of inside passage throughout life. It’s not an exclusive route, it’s available to anyone, but it’s an important one to discover. We can walk, ride, swim this passage with Jesus, who offers us companionship and encouragement unique to a travel partner.
This particular inside passage offers no guarantee of ease, we are not promised the absence of struggle or hardship. What we do have on faith’s inside passage is a guide in Jesus who is with us always. He knows the way, having traveled it ahead of us. He will portage us over the dry and shallow parts of the journey. More importantly, He will companion us as we make our own trek along the way.
What other inside passages have you traveled in life?
danielcash 