Luke 3:2-4
2The word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3
And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism
of repentance [a]for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of
the words of Isaiah the prophet:“The voice of one calling [b]out in the
wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,Make His paths straight!
Big Bend National Park, Texas
When I begin to walk down a path, it stirs an unknown in me. There is a
significant difference between seeing a road and deciding to take a path.
A well-worn road has had enough travelers to establish its mapping,
signage, and maintenance, but there is a mystery about a path. While you
are not the first to walk along it, it remains a journey that requires time
and patience. Indeed, others have come before and broken open the way,
disturbed the fragile groundcover, and left an opening for others to
follow, but still it beckons the one willing to take the time to explore.
The path traveler must go at a slower pace. There are various things on the path
that make sure that is true and enhances the journey. There are sandy paths,
rocky paths, and combinations thereof. Even the seasons change the tread of the
path. In fall, the leaves go from groundcover to powder; in winter, from gravel to
ice. In spring, the path begins as a blank canvas only to have wildflowers and
tender grass explode along its edges, as the arid summer produces a billow of dust
with each step. If you walk the same path every day, it constantly changes.
Every day you see something you missed the day before or maybe it was not even
there yesterday, a turtle, or evidence of larger animals who shared the path.
When you are on a path, you can veer off to see things that catch your attention.
Things you might note from the road but would be hesitant to stop and
investigate. However, a path draws you into something that catches your eye and
gives you the time and space to capture it in your memory.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, I went with a group on a short hike by the Laurel
River. As we were walking back up stream, we saw a raft of ducks placidly
swimming with the current. We had just passed a waterfall and wondered what
would happen when they reached the drop-off. We stopped and watched as they
all effortlessly took flight and softly landed beyond the waterfall.
Paths provide the time and space to nod to your fellow hikers, to watch the eddies
in the river, and to climb higher for a different view. The desert was full of paths I
took for new perspectives, to see things that are unfamiliar, but something I
needed to see. There are roads that will get us there faster, but there are paths
that will allow us to see the Hand of God that we too often miss in our rapid paced
life.
If there is anything positive about the Pandemic of 2020-21, it is the abrupt stop
that has made us rethink so much. In the midst of so much sorrow and disruption,
may we look for the paths that provide a new way. Take the time to nod to our
fellow travelers. Listen for sounds of hope. See the places where our humanity
intersects with previously unseen needs and know that we are not alone on the
path. We walk with the Creator and fellow travelers.
Prayer:
God of journey and Hope, Remind us and help us to know with our heart that You
have always been with us on this path of life. Peace and Grace, Amen.
Wanda Kidd