Mountaintop Clarity

      It continually amazes me how a weekend away from the general path of life always tends to provide a little perspective. This weekend I enjoyed an amazing trip in the mountains with some lovely ladies from my church. As I was driving up the winding path (carefully because mountains scare the heck out of me), the beautiful spring foliage of the mountain enveloped me and blocking my view from the world beyond it. Without any apparent idea where I was going, I followed the path further along. Then just when I am sure that my gps has lied to me yet again and I am forever lost with no one to ever find me, a break in the trees reveals the most breathtaking and majestic view that captures you and refuses to let go. Time stills for just a moment and every random thought evaporates. Just for a few moments I pulled to the side of the road and stood in wonder of a majesty and grandeur larger than I can ever imagine. In those few moments clarity washed over me, a clarity of my smallness in a world of breathtaking wonder made possible only by the One true Creator.

        It reminded me of so much of what I see in the way people, myself included, live life. We travel along a path of winding trails, blending in with the scenery and almost forgetting our destination in the first place. We carefully turn the corner immersed in our own troubles, anxieties, or fears that we almost miss the view. Too scared to take our eyes from the road ahead, we continue in false reality that the surrounding trees are the best part of the journey. Had we only kept our eyes focused upon the curve ahead we would have missed the splendor of a world so much larger and purposeful than we can ever imagine, a world of grand elegance and promise that seems inconceivable. Instead of turning to breathe in the beauty around us, we drive forward as many others before us have done, towards a destination that we can no longer find, or worse, believe it isn’t there in the first place.

        I loved a recent quote that one of my professors referred to in class. “Life is a pilgrimage,” he said, “not a journey. A journey implies that you don’t know the ending. A pilgrimage, however, has a clear and discernable destination.” Whether you just came through one of those curves, see it ahead, or are currently in its centripetal gravity, don’t forget this truth. You have a clear and discernable destination. As a believer in Christ, you are part of a much greater destination than your own, joining our great and majestic Creator on mission as part of His grand story throughout redemptive history. You fit into a greater purpose of His plan than you could ever dream for yourself. Why then do we so often live in practical atheism, focusing more on the rocks and trees than the canvas of God’s larger plan? Rather than basking in the sunlight of His glory, we hide in the shadows and shield our eyes. We live day in and day out as if God is not there in the way we respond to fears, tragedy, stress, or brokenness. Rather than trusting in our faithful Creator, we instead react as anyone who believes there is no God. I hope to challenge you to take a few moments today to look for the majestic beauty of God’s purposes rather than focusing on the details that distort your view. He is a Creator worthy of our affections, our trust, and our devotion. Don’t live today as if there is no God. Trust in His purposes and plan and walk boldly on this pilgrimage, knowing the hope and glory of your destination. 

Possibility

          The change of seasons seems to always bring a change of attitude as well. Call me a sap or a hopeless romantic, but I have always loved the metaphor of seasons compared to the seasons of life; my favorites being fall and spring. Besides the beautiful weather and a chance to break out the flip-flops, these times in the year always remind me of transitions. Summer and winter are always the solid seasons, plunging to the extremes of smoldering heat or a cold that takes your breath away. But, fall and spring are the in between seasons. Those that flirt with what will come next, begging you to embrace the limbo before the extreme sets in upon you.

Usually, my English geek gene kicks in about now and I search for a word to help describe my aim or goal for the season. Last fall, my word was intentionality. When my world was drastically changing around me, full of new adventure and excitement I held onto the idea of being intentional, of embracing the unfamiliar around me and diving head first into a journey that continues to catch me by surprise.

 Now, as I breathe in the spring air and soak in the morning sunlight, the only word that comes to mind is possibility. Yes, it may be cheesy, but I love the idea of new possibility, of discovering something new or maybe just seeing something for the first time that perhaps you’ve “looked” at for years. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of being vulnerable isn’t something I usually run towards. But, I usually find that some of the best parts of a season come when you open yourself up to a possibility.

So as spring settles upon you and you break out the flip flops, fishing poles, golf clubs, or whatever else you love to do in the spring, I wonder if maybe you’ll join me in a season of possibility. What dream have you laid aside for something else that crowded in around you? What relationship have you put off, friend or otherwise, because life told you that possibility wasn’t worth the effort? What new adventure are you ready to embark on? What new road do you secretly want to walk, but haven’t let yourself enjoy the possibility of taking the first step? I hope this season you will consider the possibility of what can be and have the courage to take that first step with me in a new season, flip flops in hand!