The Journey (04/17/2024)

One of my favorite stories in the Gospels is the Transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James and John went up high in the mountains by themselves. And while there, the disciples witnessed Jesus with Moses and Elijah. Peter, excitedly amazed proposed that he make tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. They could stay there. But then the voice of the Father Almighty pierced the moment, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” Afterwards, Jesus led the disciples back down the mountain; their journey was not over yet.

I like the story because it reminds me of how often in my own journey, when things seem to be as good as they can get, I want to pitch a tent and just stay there. But life is a journey; we are meant to keep going as long as we are this side of the sod. When we stop; we prematurely stop our journey, and things begin to go amiss.

I’ve been blessed in that I’ve never been allowed to physically stay in one place too long. The aspect of life as a journey is a reality lived to me. But the idea of staying in a good place, a comfortable place, a place where I know what will happen, a predictable place does have its appeal. However, I have to keep reminding myself, I’m on a journey, keep going, keep learning, keep growing, keep opening myself to what is possible with the LORD.

I don’t know about you, but I find ruts very easy to develop and maintain. But daily, the LORD makes all things new. And this new world requires that we begin again. If we’re not moving forward, we’re going backward. We have spiritual habits that we need to maintain, habits that help us to stay engaged, to stay faithful, to seek always what the LORD wills for us at this time. Every day we rise as new creatures in the LORD, new daughters and sons. And our journeys continue. We find oases to rest once in a while, but we are not meant to set up residence there.

And the LORD does not disappoint. Daily there are new challenges to address, changes that require prayerful adaptation on our part at the least and Spirit guided actions at times.

Daily we are asked to look about us, to take in the wonder of all the LORD has wrought, and also to observe the needs the LORD puts before us understanding that we are instruments in the LORD’s divine design. At times, in fact frequently, the LORD’s answer to our prayers arrives in sneakers. To whom is the LORD sending us this day? How are we called to play a part in the LORD’s response to another’s prayer? How are we called this day to be part of Christ’s ongoing mission?

Christ calls us. Our lives are journeys in relationship with our Savior and one another. We seek to make this journey following in the footsteps He makes before us. Through the power of the Spirit, may we have the fortitude to keep on keeping on. After all, life is a journey in faith, buoyed by hope, fueled by love. May every leg of our journey reveal to others Christ whom we lovingly follow.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.