"A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make
straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised
up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the
rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all
mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.'" (Isa
40:3-5 NIV)
December 7, 1941 shook the United States at the very core. The unexpected attack
on Pearl Harbor left the Americans scrambling for a strategic plan. Panic
escalated as the United States realized that their most northerly and westerly
state, Alaska, was not only a mere 600 miles from Japan, but was also very
poorly defended. Alaska's defence arsenal consisted of just a few antiquated
aircrafts and ships. There was no way they would be able to successfully repulse
an attack! All of North America was potentially at risk to a Japanese invasion!
It was quickly realized that a road had to be constructed to transport troops
and military supplies from the continental U.S. to their most northerly and
westerly state. The only problem was the huge expanse of non-U.S. land that
existed between the two: Canada!
In order to build their road, the Americans would need to receive the
cooperation and support of their northerly neighbors. It had already been
suggested years earlier that such a road be constructed, but Canadian Prime
Minister Mackenzie King had been less than enthusiastic. After all, why would
the Canadians even want a road built by the United States on their own soil? To
them, it looked like an invasion of privacy. The bill had been sitting in the
Canadian Parliament for 17 years, and getting immediate approval for the road
would take a little miracle!
The attack on Pearl Harbor became that "miracle", and the Canadian Government
finally approved the construction of the road. In the Spring of 1942, the U.S.
Army engineers began the construction of the overland route to Alaska in Dawson
Creek, British Columbia.
Eleven thousand troops and 16,000 civilians were engaged in this project. Speed
was the #1 priority, and the caterpillar tractors almost overran the surveyors
as they levelled anything in sight. They were followed immediately by the
graders, and then the gravel trucks and the bridge-and culvert-building crews.
They were met with swamps, landslides, bugs (they sure are a deterrent!) and
floods. Nevertheless, by working non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the
road was completed in just 9 months. On November 20, 1942, at Soldier's Summit,
south of Kluane Lake, the Alaska Highway was officially opened.
One hundred thirty-three bridges, 8,000 culverts and 1523 miles of gravel
highway had been built at a cost of over $140,000,000, U.S. What had seemed
impossible-the construction of a U.S. road in Canada-had been made possible, not
through force or bribery, but through the cooperation of two different
countries. And all because of a potential Japanese invasion! The Japanese did
attack Alaska, on June 3, 1942. Their efforts were unsuccessful!
The road was deemed less than perfect by the Canadians, however. After all, who
would want to drive along a road that twisted around sharp corners, climbed up
and down steep hills, and at times, even forded rivers? Wouldn't that make
everyone dizzy? In 1943 road improvement was turned over to the Public Roads
Administration, and more than 90 contracting firms were brought into the
picture. Canada then paid the U.S. $77,000,000 for "everything deemed of
permanent value" that pertained to the Canadian portions of the road. Over the
years to come, the road would be eventually totally reconstructed.
We, too, are facing a huge abyss, not unlike the distance between Alaska and the
continental United States. We, too, are separated from home, and it is
impossible for us, alone, to cross that chasm. Through our sin, we are separated
from our source of Life: God Himself! "Since we've compiled this long and sorry
record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of
living the glorious lives God wills for us…" (Rom 3:23 The Message)
A road has already been build however, by God's own hands, which bridge that
gap, making it possible for us to return home, making reconciliation with our
Source of life possible. "God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us
in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in
and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of
Jesus Christ." (Rom 3:24 The Message)
The highway to heaven was built and paved by no other than God Himself! "Work
hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real
life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master." (Rom 6:23 The Message); and
"For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death
of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his
life!" (Rom 5:10 NIV)
It is our choice whether or not to walk that road. It is our choice whether or
not to accept God's way home! One thing is for sure though: "For God so loved
the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)
Will you join me in walking that road home? His offer still stands!
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me." (John 14:6 NIV)
P. S. Even addiction over sin is guaranteed to be overcome by God's power! What
do we have to lose? "So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and
through." (John 8:36)
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.