Navigating through this life can be a messy affair. Sometimes the weeds feel so high that it becomes difficult to navigate the way forward. Am I moving closer to my destination or further away? Am I making things better or worse? It is hard to know if we’re getting closer to the exit of the tunnel when we lose sight of the light ahead.
When I was younger I did quite a bit of backpacking and often my friends and I would go off-trail and head out cross country to reach more secluded lakes or peaks. It was thrilling to leave behind the well-trodden, dusty footpaths, but also could be a bit unnerving. All we had to go by was a map and compass. We’d use landmarks to locate our position on the map and a compass to make sure everything was properly aligned.
There is quite a bit of faith involved in this sort of orienteering. Sometimes we’d read things incorrectly and have to reassess. We’d find obstacles in our way that weren’t visible on the map. We’d come to a cliff edge that we couldn’t safely descend, which meant we were going to have to traverse a good deal out of our way. A creek that had become a river meant looking for a fallen tree to use as a bridge or a ford that allowed for an easier crossing.
But all that work meant a huge reward when we would stumble upon our desired destination. A beautiful lake tucked amongst the side of the mountain without any sight of another person. Or a majestic peak with an immense view and nothing but a tiny metal box on top with the names of those who had scaled before us scribbled on scraps of paper.
This image speaks to me of the life we are called to live. Jesus bids us leave aside the comforts for the journey. To travel with him, even though the way seems unsure. Thomas asks, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” And Jesus answers that “I am the way.” He is the journey and the destination, the map, and the guide.
And Scripture is filled with reference points from which to gain our bearings, to know if we’re moving in the right direction.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Cor. 13:4-7
It corrects us when we get off course.
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8
It reassures us when things get tough.
“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
And it keeps in mind our destination.
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
And on and on…but best of all, we don’t go alone.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:33
I know some of you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed or desiring to go back to the way things were. I get it. Me too. But remember this, the true hope lies in what is ahead, not behind.
I want to remind you today that you are not alone, and do not travel alone. This is one of the greatest gifts of being a church. We are companions together on this journey. We aren’t meant to be self-sufficient. We need each other.
Because the journey was never meant to be easy. It was meant to shape us and transform us into something new. Something that transcends and goes beyond the confines of this life. Because when we reach the end of this journey, we find a new beginning. One that requires letting go of the past and embracing a whole new heart.
To quote C.S. Lewis…
“For it is from there that the real ascent begins. The ropes and axes are 'done away' and the rest is a matter of flying.”
I sure love you guys!
Jeff