I love reading maps. When we plan a trip, it is not enough for me to put the address into my navigator and let it tell me when to take a left or a right. I need to see the whole path. What cities will I pass through? How far is it to the next rest area? These are all questions that I like answered by viewing the way with my own eyes.
It is time to map out the road home. Our journey through the wilderness took us to unknown lands, and we do not know the way back. We must plan accordingly. And so, we pull out the map and look for a road leading us to the familiar.
We will not be the same people as we were when we started this Lenten journey. We know things now that were foreign to us only weeks ago. Our commitment to God changed with each new discovery, each new experience. Faith returns and hope springs anew.
Today in the wilderness, I am grateful for the many lessons learned while exploring my path. Light must make its way through the darkness, sometimes lessons are learned when we least expect them, and hope will return even after long periods of despair. And as the spring arrives, we lay claim to the reality of constant reminders of resurrection that are in the fabric of our very DNA. What appeared dead in the winter comes back to life in the spring. We must wait for the new season to bloom. Praise be to God, who gives us the victory through His Son, Jesus the Christ.
From a Pastor's Point of View 