Dear Rose Park,
As many of you know, my dad’s funeral was on Tuesday in Lamoni, Iowa. On Monday morning Sam and I drove the nine hours to Lamoni. On Tuesday afternoon, we drove the nine hours back. Needless to say, that’s a long time spent on I-80.
As we were driving, I was reminded again of the importance of the journey. It’s a common sports cliche that the journey is the destination. Meaning, the process or journey of going somewhere is just as important as the destination. Think of the process or journey in our schooling system: the process of learning reading, writing, science, mathematics, civics and the like is just as important (if not more important) than the grade given at the end of the class.
This dynamic played itself out in the drive to Iowa. The funeral was the destination, but even my dad would agree, the process and journey of his three sons and their families gathering together to celebrate his life was just as important.
I wonder how this dynamic overlays with our faith. In other words, I think we’ve missed the mark if the sole motivation of our faith is to arrive to heaven as if it were some sort of eternal summer vacation destination. If we only love our neighbor as ourself, serve each other selflessly, and regularly attend worship services so that we can get the carrot at the end of the stick…then I think we’ve seriously missed the mark when it comes to being a follower of Jesus and a member of the church. The pilgrimage of daily walking alongside sisters and brothers who are also pursuing the glory of Jesus is the destination.
This is all to say, what are you doing to journey well? Are you driving by yourself or with a caravan of others? Are you using a map and guide or do you refuse to stop and ask for directions from others who know the road? Are you staying present in the current moment or are you always looking down the road for the next exit?
It’s my hope and prayer that each of us would embrace the journey we are on, not looking too far ahead, but instead seeking to daily draw closer to each other as we draw closer to Him.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark