The journey

I am currently on the way back from Lutherock camp with two 15-passenger vans full of kids and a van full of luggage after an incredible time in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. I wonder sometimes if God created the mountains to remind us how small we are in the vastness of Her creation. I can’t help but be humbled in the midst of trees that are hundreds of years older than me, sunsets that seem to close the gap between us and Heaven, and rapids that reflect the roiling strength of the Divine. 

As we walked the trails through the Appalachians, I felt the sacredness of the journey of hikers that had gone before, and I was mindful of the hikers that will continue to traverse these paths long after me. Most hikes end in some beautiful, scenic view from the top of a mountain or a waterfall; but really, the whole journey reflects the brushstrokes of God. Life is kind of like that. So often we have a goal in mind we are striving towards—a graduation date, a promotion, a wedding date, retirement—but when we put blinders on and focus only on the destination, we miss the stunning beauty of the journey.

If God wanted us to focus solely on Heaven, why would He have created tiny purple blossoms scattered through a meadow or the intricacies of a sea shell washed ashore? We honor God when we delight in His creation, and our lives are richer when we take the blinders off and allow wonder to be a constant companion on this journey of life.

Run the race, as Paul advises to the Corinthians, but don’t miss the opportunity to marvel at the magic God imbues along the way.