When the chariot comes

Today I was listening to an NPR interview with Neil Young regarding his new album featuring early American folk songs.  I'm not a fan of Neil Young, per se, but the interview was interesting and nothing else was on the radio that fit my mood.  He was talking about the song She'll Be Comin' Around the Mountain also titled Jesus' Chariot.  Supposedly, the song has roots in an old African Spiritual.  The original words go something like this:

O, who will drive the chariot When she comes? O, who will drive the chariot When she comes? O, who will drive the chariot, O, who will drive the chariot, O, who will drive the chariot When she comes? King Jesus, he'll be driver when she comes... She'll be loaded with bright Angels when she comes... She will neither rock nor totter when she comes... She will run so level and steady when she comes... She will take us to the portals when she comes... (words from http://ingeb.org/spiritua/owhowill.html) In this song, "she" is the chariot.  She will be carrying Jesus. I loved how Neil Young spoke about this song.  He questioned with wonderful curiosity  when he asked: what are the portals?...  and why are we going there?  He sounded like a small boy who was sitting in the backseat of his parent's car  at the beginning of a long road trip.  I love that curious wonder- the mystical voyage that we take when we jump into the backseat of Jesus' chariot.   We never know where we're going but we fasten our seat belts and stare out of the windows in excitement. Consider the African Americans who wrote this song.  Why do you think it was important for them to believe that Jesus' chariot would not rock or totter?  That He would be steady and trustworthy?  He would carry themaway to another place.  You and I, we live within our own captivities but can trust in "King Jesus" to carry us away in His reliable chariot- on a mystical journey. Imagine with me what that day will be like.  Imagine with me what it will be like to arrive at the portals. until soon, b.