The Slow Work of God

Saunter is a word which has its origin in the Middle Ages.  When people were on pilgrimages to different holy places, and would pass through towns along the way, villagers would ask where they were going.  They would reply, "A la sainte terre,"  - to the Holy Land.  They became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers.  Thus,  a slower and more reflective pace has often been associated with a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Yesterday, we started our day at the top of Masada.  It is what remains of a vast palace fortress with an equally vast history.  Built by the slaves of King Herod, it is hard to fathom the amount of slow, back breaking work it took not only to build the walls but also to bring water to this high mountain plateau.  Historically, Masada was also the home to 960 Jewish Zealots who watched for over a year while the Roman legion slowly built a siege ramp, tower and battering ram in order to overtake them in 73 A.D.  Instead of being taken captive, this group of extremists chose to die by their own hand at Masada.  It is both an awe inspiring and somber place.  There was a lot to see and so some of our group went quickly from place to place and then hiked down the mountain side "snake path" to the bottom.  Others in our group took a slower more deliberate pace.

Our devotions for the day included this quote from Albert Palmer, "There are people who "hike" though life.  They measure life in terms of money and amusement, they rush along the trail of life feverishly seeking to make a dollar or gratify an appetite.  How much better to "saunter" along this trail of life to measure it in terms of beauty and love and friendship.  How much finer to take time to know and understand the men and women along the way, to stop a while and let the beauty of the sunset possess the soul, to listen to what the trees are saying and the songs of the birds, and to gather the fragrant little flowers that bloom all along the trail of life for those who have eyes to see!"

As I "sauntered" around Masada, I was struck by the idea that perhaps our God who "is a mighty fortress" is also more inclined to move slowly.  We expect instant results.  We want things to happen - now!  And yet our God is always at work, sometimes with quick results but more often in slow, inconceivable, invisible ways.  Whether we hike or saunter through life, there is also the slow work of God that is happening in us and around us.  I have often become impatient with the slow work of God.  I like quicker results.   Yet the older I get the more thankful I am that God also never stops working.   A trip like ours to the Holy Land can be an intense fast few days.  At the same time, the growth, the learning, the openness to new ideas are all part of the slow work of God that will continue for years to come.

When You Wish Upon A Star

“When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires 

Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream

No request is too extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do”

Dreaming for something to happen seems to be the activity of little girls or Tinker Bell’s Disney magic.   A trip to the Holy Land, however, is a wish that I made upon a star a long time ago.  My mother hoped to go and never made it.  She encouraged me to take a trip someday.  Ten years ago, I began to wonder if Trinity, the church I currently serve as pastor,  could make a trip happen.  In 2015, Kirk and I explored the possibility by attending Jerusalem University College for two weeks.  And this week, dreams are coming true.  Not just mine, hopefully, but also some of the dreams of my 34 traveling companions.  What an exciting time!

After leaving Iowa in the early morning hours on Tuesday,  a full day of travel,  another weary day of sightseeing on little sleep in a new time zone, and a third day of amazing experiences - I now take my rest in a kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  It is  reality.  It is a dream.  

It is also my hope and dream that this is more than a trip.  I pray that it will also be an unforgettable Lenten pilgrimage.  I prepared a devotional book to encourage reflections on this topic.   This quote from Henri Nouwen in some way summarizes my thoughts as we have begun our journey.

“When I trust deeply that today God is truly with me and holds me safe in a divine embrace, guiding every one of my steps I can let go of my anxious need to know how tomorrow will look, or what will happen next month or next year.  I can be fully where I am and pay attention to the many signs of God’s love within me and around me."

Tonight, after touring a kibbutz and eating a delicious fresh fish dinner served by the families who live here, several of us  gathered on the sandy shore of Galilee and looked into the dark night sky at the stars.  Where Jesus taught his disciples, we talked, laughed, told stories and shared about ourselves.  And under the stars, I understood.  Sometimes dreams become experiences.  Experiences became memories.  And memories become dreams again... And in it all, there are many signs of God's love within me and around me.