Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth; who does not faint or grow weary;
whose understanding is unsearchable. God gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
– Isaiah 40:28-31
Beloved of God,
Our approach to Rachel Lake, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, was four miles long. The first three followed Box Canyon Creek up valley, gradually gaining elevation from 2,800 feet at the trailhead to 3,400 at mile three—an average gain of only 200 feet per mile. But the final mile—up the steep wall that gave Box Creek its name—had acquired a nickname of its own: the Cruel Mile. As Kai and I began the upward slog, using our poles and any available tree, rock, or root we could grab, we became newly aware of the weight of our packs, and the reality of the 1,300 ft elevation gain ahead of us impressed itself viscerally on our minds and bodies. This was Kai’s first backpack trip, and I’d put a good deal of effort into finding a destination that would allow him to experience the gifts the wilderness provides without exacting too steep of a price. As my legs grew tired, I found myself inspired by Kai’s desire to keep going without complaint. “How much do you think we have left, Dad?” became Kai’s refrain every few minutes. “Oh,” I would reply, remembering our sabbatical experience, “about 200 meters.”[1] By the time we arrived at Rachel Lake we were eager to shed our gear and make camp. By the time the sun set that evening, we were more than ready to crawl into our bags and give our bodies a rest.
When morning came, the weariness of the day before had dissipated, and after a breakfast of freeze dried eggs and sausage, our thoughts turned to the day ahead. Another mile, and 400 feet above us, lay the Rampart Lakes, a series of smaller alpine lakes heartily endorsed by the guide book, and we set our sights there. And Rampart Lakes did not disappoint! But it was still early afternoon and there was plenty of day left. What if we were to climb to the top of that saddle over there, at the south end of the basin? And so we went. The final 40 feet required some scrambling, but in the end we were rewarded with vistas of mountains all around, and a view all the way down to our Rachel Lake campsite far below. Unforgettable.
Meaningful experiences, shared vistas, shape us. They become reference points in our life together. Sometimes, the experiences we worked hardest to obtain become the most precious to us. Not all shared experiences, of course, are worthy of being remembered. Each of us could point to decisions, conversations, encounters, mistakes that we would gladly do over or take back if we could. Regret, whatever its specific content, can ride roughshod over us if we let it, even to the point of overwhelming the rich and joyful moments we’ve known. Thank goodness we have as companion on the way a God who knows how to strengthen us when we’re weak and to lift us when we’re weary—whether that weariness comes from physical exertion or from the weight of past sins!
As summer turns to fall and rhythms shift and change, we can take a cue from the autumn leaves, which teach us the art of letting go. We have much to engage in together this month in our shared ministry at Peace; so many meaningful activities and opportunities for learning and serving and growing. At times the calendar can become so cluttered that it feels less like a gift and more like an uphill slog! But our Lord’s gracious accompaniment makes the journey all worthwhile. With a spirit of joy and comradery—let the fall begin!
With you on the Way,
Pastor Erik
What does this mean?