“I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.” – John Newton, “Amazing Grace”
“… ‘Till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love and praise!” – Charles Wesley, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
At various times churches have attempted marketing schemes and slogans. Like many of you, I am quite fond of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors,” and I look forward to the time when our doors will again be open for all to enter and engage in study, worship and fellowship in preparation for service and witness in the world.
Years ago there was the bumper sticker which said, “I found it!” with a cross. Of course that led to the perfect response: A Star of David with the motto “We never lost it!” More recently I have seen stickers and memes for the un-churched stating “Not all who wander are lost.”
In truth, we all need to wander to be able to discover. We sometimes need to get lost to find something new, or to find ourselves. All too often, just when we think we are exactly the right path, we discover that we have been lost all along. And it is in losing our selfishness that we live God’s grace.
This is the value of the place apart from the regular world. This is the importance of Sabbath – a time set apart. This is the gift of camps, retreats, and wilderness wandering.
Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus goes off to pray. He goes away to remember and reaffirm who he is. His ministry is bookended by his contending with Satan in the wilderness, and contending with God’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane. During Lent, we take a journey with Jesus through the wilderness and to the cross.
This Sunday in worship we will talk about that wandering, and of Jesus’ obedience to the divine purpose.
This Saturday, at our Upside-Down Church on Zoom at 5:00 we will talk about getting away to discover who we are; and how to do that in a time of pandemic! Our guest will be Kimmie Stradling, who has been a camping professional and is now a “professional camper.”
I pray that this time of Lent will be a time apart, even in the midst of continued restrictions and what has become mundane isolation. I pray that for you this will be a time to rediscover God’s strength, grace, mercy, and love. And so that you may find that, I say with the deepest affection, I hope you will find a way to… get lost!
Let us lose ourselves in you O God. When it is too much for us to bear, let us lose ourselves in your strength. When we are trying too hard to do it all, let us lose ourselves In your peace. When we are overwhelmed by loneliness, let us lose ourselves in your presence. When we have lost our way, let us find ourselves in you. When we are wondering and wandering, let us catch glimpses of Christ in the wilderness, and may your gentle smile let us feel your joy of discovery. We pray this with Jesus. Amen.
Questions for Sunday:
1. What are you more likely to believe, good news or bad
news? Why?
2. Why is Jesus’ anguish and obedience important to you?
3. What must you do today to be obedient to God / true to yourself?