Move with a “Christ-tempered” gate

This is the “center” or “middle” of Summer. As I write this there are as many weeks of summer break behind us as there are yet to be enjoyed ahead of us before the school/program year begins again. In these precious weeks, I hope you get a chance to spend important time with family and friends away from the usual pattern of your daily lives. Sneak away to “the lake” or “the cabin” or out of state and see a part of the country and nature you haven’t before.

The road back into my sisters’ resort in Canada from the Highway is about 5 miles long. I’ve driven on it going in or going out countless times. The last time I visited, I started walking from her resort about halfway back along that road and then turning around to head back to the resort. Before doing this walking, I might have said I knew that stretch of road pretty darn well. During my walks, however, I came to know it in a more intimate way and with a better appreciation of its beauty and challenge.

As I was about this exercise, I began to relate it to our lives in this world. The last 10th of a mile coming into Erin’s place is about a 6% grade hill: a good 4 -6 stories high (looking up from the bottom - and some days as your walking it - seems more like ten stories). As I would leave the property, that would be my start of the walk; up that hill.  The road goes up and down as it winds its way back into the woods, I never really appreciated how “up and down” it is. It was a great road for exercise!

The trees and plants along the way go by pretty quickly when you drive. But walking along the road I was taken aback at just how beautiful the way really is. The beauty of the flowers blooming along the road. The majesty of the large pine trees reaching up into the sky on both sides of the road creating a little coniferous canyon that you walk along in the bottom of. And then, quite a few times, because I was not loudly driving by - but rather quietly walking, I would startle a deer or two…. or three! Once it was a big Buck, or foxes, once a hedgehog, once a porcupine.

This is not a “slow down and smell the roses” message. It is however an invitation to us, as it was a discovery for me, to not so determinedly move through my day that I miss the presence of the divine all around me. Do we see the presence of Christ in our co-workers on the job? Do we appreciate the blessing of family and take the time to talk and play together or is everyone in their own place in the house and/or absorbed into their own screen, or separated – away from each other due to work and sporting commitments? Do we regularly take the time and make space to connect with God and allow God to speak and awaken us to the possibilities of the gospel in each day or moment?

We are so fortunate where we are to live in such beauty. Make sure you pause often and be a bit overwhelmed by the majesty and beauty of the creation all around us. And walk! To tell you the truth it wasn’t always easy to get up the gumption to start down the road (especially looking up the big hill to begin the journey). But even that became a metaphor for me about asking God for strength and presence as I begin taking on an obstacle or overcoming an intimidating situation. And now, I rather look forward to daily walks - because I’m beginning to realize that I’ll always discover Christ astride with me, helping me see the world and people more through the eyes of grace.

When we move through each day at a more “Christ-tempered” gate, we will more often be delighted and surprised by the special experiences and moments that a less aware or more driven pace might scatter. Much like the deer, the buck, the foxes,  the hedgehog, the porcupine all were for me on my daily hikes.

As the new program/school year begins, I invite us all to be intentional in our making room for God and God’s presence through each day. Who knows what we’ll discover? Who knows what surprises and new visions will come our way? God go with you and may Christ be astride your steps as you move through your days and God’s good creation.

Be God’s,  Pastor Jim