The Way - The Others
I shared this image and the following reflection about 18 months ago . I found it still speaking to me today reflecting on this next path image we used for our congregational exploration of the Sermon on the Mount.
I experienced this moment the day after we arrived in Virginia for a week away. One of my regular hikes out at the Manassas Battlefield whenever we come out here. I’ve walked this raised path many times before but something new stirred for me this time that echoes what I read in Romans a few days ago. Paul shares about the faith of Abraham and how he was justified by faith not by works. As I read that section, I also thought of how Abraham was included with so many others in the beautiful section of Hebrews 11-12 of the great cloud of witnesses who showed the way of following God.
Tuesday morning, it felt like I was the only one out at the Battlefield that morning. Mine was the only car in the parking lot and I didn’t come across anyone else before getting to this path. Yet, the timing was such that the morning sun reflected a bunch of other footprints of those who had walked that way before. But I hadn’t seen any of them. But they were there.
We do not always see those who have gone before us in life and faith but they are there. But there are moments when the timing and the conditions are just right that we see the footprints of that cloud of witnesses. And even if we don’t see them physically, we know they have passed that way before us.
Thanks be to God.
What is speaking to me here is the reminder of how many have gone before us and shown us the way to live. Tuesday, our regional gathering of congregations (Presbytery) met and we shared a time of remembering those who passed away during the last year. Their names were read and we offered gratitudes for their lives. Some of the names were ones I recognized, some I did not. Some were people close to me and some were distant connections. But all were ones whose footsteps have gone before me and in their footsteps have shown me the way.
Just a quick reminder also about the calendars I have up for sale for 2024. You can click here to see the options (doggo devotions, paths of life/faith, and sunrises). The Advent Devotional that I crafted for last year has also been updated and is available as a PDF here. If you are interested in a calendar, please note that I will be putting in a bulk order after December 1 and they’ll ship directly to you.