Have you ever been lost?
A few years ago, I was hiking up a mountain
with some friends. As we were getting
closer to the top, we ran into some tricky conditions. The snow had obscured
our trail, and some people in the group were ready to turn around. The smart idea would have been to go back
with the group, but I really wanted to keep going. I usually have a rule that nobody should
split up in the mountains. It’s just a
bad idea to leave other people. However,
I knew the top couldn’t be much more than a mile away… and I really wanted to
go for it. I told everyone I would be
back in flash, and I set off, leaving everyone else behind. I quickly scrambled over snow, ice, and scree
to reach the top. I remember feeling
pretty proud of myself in that moment… However, in my effort to reach the top,
I realized I hadn’t paid close enough attention to the route I took. There was
no path, and it was impossible to follow my tracks back over the ice and scree. Pretty soon I realized I was lost.
Do you know that feeling? At that moment I wasn’t worried that I would
be stuck up in the mountains… I knew I could get down. However, I became very concerned that I would
be unable to find the group I left behind.
I knew I made a stupid mistake, and now I was paying for it!
I wound up going back up to the top and trying
to retrace my steps down. This time
things looked a little more familiar, but I still couldn’t find the group. I was just starting to feel that pit in my
stomach when I heard my wife call my name.
It was so good to hear a familiar voice and to know that I was not going
to be alone.
How do you feel today? You don’t have to be on a mountain to feel
lost. You may be surrounded by other
people, and you may have a busy schedule, but loneliness can still creep into
your life. This week we are taking a
look at relationships. I believe God
shows up in the people around us. We are
not alone. God is calling each of us into
a deeper love, and I hope we can all experience His grace.
Blessings!
Brian
