Pastor's Message
 
                                                                                          

April 2011, Spirit Steps

 I had the address and the city, beyond that I had no idea of where to go, but I had my GPS.  I punched in the name of the city and the state and a new page came up asking me for the street address.  I entered the address and then began to enter the street name.  The screen flashed at me.  “Only enter the address in this space.”  Although it wasn’t written on the screen, I know that behind the screen it also said, “DUMMY!”  I erased the two letters of the street name I managed to get in and pressed “Done” A new screen appeared and asked for the street name.  I had only put in the first two letters of the street name in again when the entire name popped up quickly followed by a new screen with the complete address.  Satisfied, I pressed “Go” and another screen came up that asked me if I wanted this as a destination or a way-point.  I don’t know where the question came from but I answered, “Destination”.

My little interaction with my GPS started me thinking about our journey through Lent.  I guess that I’ve always thought of Easter as the destination of our Lenten journey, but as I thought more about it, it seems to me that Easter is not the destination but rather a “way-point”.  It is a way-point in our life’s journey.  It is not that I ever consciously thought in terms of “destination” or “waypoint” but we regularly talk and read about Lent as a journey and we all know that if you are on a journey, you are going somewhere.  While this may seem like a lot of rambling about nothing, it really does have some important ramifications.

A number of studies have high-lighted the fact that the language we use, including metaphors, and even in our own internal conversations, have an important effect on our attitude, feelings, and behavior.  It therefore becomes important as to whether we acknowledge something as the completion of a journey or as a way-point helping us to determine our progress along the way.  

I think of climbing a mountain.  I get a surge of energy as I see what I believe is the summit.  Upon reaching that point I discover that it is a false summit and what I see is another climb with what looks like the summit.  I am disappointed, discouraged, I don’t know if I have enough energy to push on.  The next time I climb I read the route description first, “three false summits” it reads.  I reach the first false summit and now I have one down and two to go.  I am encouraged by the way-point.  My energy is renewed.  I am excited about moving to the next way-point.

Easter is a time when we celebrate the newness of life recognizing that through Christ, death has been destroyed.  Yet, we go on as the same people with the same struggles as before Easter.  Easter is a way-point, it is a time we are encouraged, our energy renewed, and we are freed to be excited about the days and the journey that lies ahead.

May the new life that Easter brings renew and excite your zest for life. 
Have a blessed Easter

 

Pastor Bob