Sharing the Journey

I am the parent of two sons, both by adoption. Over the past nearly four decades, I have had opportunity to be a surrogate parent to a number of teenagers, mostly boys, for a piece of their lives. I am also a single parent, knowing the challenge of balancing the demands of professional calling, and the all-encompassing responsibility of parenting. My life has been full, and very busy. In spite of demands often seeming unbearable, I can hardly think of anyone whose life I would trade for the one God has given me. There have been times, however, of deep soul searching, intense pressure, crushing disappointments and huge challenges to the values and faith walk to which I am committed.

Life is, among other things, the classroom of a sovereign God, who teaches us, corrects us when we fail, and restores us when we turn to Him in faith. A great responsibility we have in life is to take the lessons which He provides, never resisting His re-direction but trusting His good will, and allowing the Author of life itself to tell His story through us.

Life is also a journey, a pilgrim journey, with a beginning point, circumstances over which we have no control, and an ending point over which we have very limited, if any control. The journey has many adventures which are only partially understood by the traveler, and only fully known by the Author. As I am writing these words, I am sitting tonight in front of a wood burning stove in a rustic cabin in the mountains of Colorado. My younger son left this morning on a backpacking trip, borrowing my hiking boots just before he ventured out. As he walked away, I couldn’t help but think of the many miles and adventure through which those boots have supported me. He will return in six days with an entirely new set of experiences which will be a part of his story. Like Michael’s backpacking journey, each of our stories are unique, one of a kind. While we teach our kids to respect many cultural differences and ethnic diversities which they encounter, we also need to respect the uniqueness of each person’s journey. We may not always agree with choices which are made along the way, yes, even identify certain decisions as morally wrong.  The journey, the life space, however, is as fascinating as the diversity and uniqueness of each fingerprint.

For those who follow Jesus Christ on the journey, life has even greater meaning. He, who gave His life for the salvation of the world, intends that those who follow after would also be givers. If the Creator Himself is a giver and we are made in His image, then we are not complete, or mature, until we too become givers. Life is finally not so much about what is gained as about what is given. The rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 determined to use his vast resources to dissipate his remaining years with a self-centered, happy retirement. On the other hand, Caleb, late in life, asked for new opportunities which would bless his descendants for generations to come.

At the core of a life of giving there must be a spiritual tethering point. Moses spoke of that in Deuteronomy six when he instructed parents to first of all love the Lord God with all of their heart, soul, and might. On the journey of life the distractions are many, but the focus must always return to the tethering point of purpose, to love God first and others second. Both imply quality relationships, as the journey of life is shared.