Pray about writing. That was an easy yes. Then I mulled over it and chewed on the topic and landed on the truth that my Lenten journey is always to know the God/Man better and match how His Way can direct mine. Part of my unknown is having no idea if from Eden on, Jesus knew this would be His one-time calling to help each of us reach the creation that God planned from the beginning.
Childhood starts the journey. I matched with Him well. I had a family, birth and adopted, belonging to two different groups even as He did. Various churches provided times like His discussions in the temple. Wise ones who knew Him helped me discuss and grow as Luke 2:52 describes. I chose friends to walk with me, even had some whose actions blocked my way. I copied a way of traveling that included getting up early and being alone. He preached as His calling, and for 51 years my place to be was in a classroom. Perfection, no, yet His voice said “Come to me when you’re burdened. I provide rest.” I had no supernatural powers. His godliness assured me of the healing of an illness in His time and provided Light on a dark path and a Way at a crossroads. Here in my 80s, some days I look at letting go of so much that matters and wonder if the pain and adjustment will be more than I can bear. I can sit next to Him and hear Him ask, “Father, do I have to?” Then on the cross there is still one more person He can anoint with grace before the end. What else do I need to do?
This has been my journey, and in this season both of life and spiritual reflection, I once again turn to the purpose of traveling to the Cross. His consistent commitment. “Now when the time was almost come for Jesus to be received up [to heaven], He steadfastly and determinedly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” Luke 9:51 Following Jesus has been the steps I take to help me be what I have been called to be since creation, a child of God.
Wendell Berry states well the morning after morning meaning of this journey.
“Take no thought of tomorrow which I take to mean that if we do the right thing today, we will have done what we can for tomorrow. O.K. So, I hope to do the right thing today.”
As the hymn says, “The way of the Cross leads home.”
