25 May 2013

Santa Irene
22.7km from Santiago

Awefull hope

Buen Camino

We did a 30km walk today. Ugh. We had the choice of a shorter walk and missing Santiago on Sunday all together or stretching it here where the next albergue was located. It leaves us with a simpler walk tomorrow. Amen.

The walk was through what looked like the northwoods of Wisconsin, except this was through eucalyptus trees and pin oaks. Lots of wonderful shade and lots of cool breezes on this spring day with deep, deep blue skies, lots of sun, temps in mid 60's, and lovely clouds to keep the sky interesting.

The walk was exciting because it was the last hard day of the camino before we arrive at Santiago. For interest, the walk included 5 very difficult climbs-some steep and some very long and steady over several km. Prayed my way up most of them.

God placed an intrigue in my head involving a creative word. Y'all mighty recall when you might have heard a teen using a cool, new word. He/she repeats it and uses it in every opportunity. I recall when the word, "sweet" became THE word. Every sentence included some connection to 'sweet' meaning really cool, great.

Not sure how I might create an obsession with this word I contemplated today, but it was my inspiration. It's with the word: "AWEFULL."

Let me try to explain. If something was full of beauty, we'd call it 'beautiful.' If someone was great help, we'd call them 'helpful.' Get the drift?

Like I mentioned, a word intrigued me. It started with the word, 'awesome.' That would mean there is 'some' awe. Technically the word would mean only some awe is included. What we refer to as astonishment, or so great and fantastic in quality includes the word 'some.'

Why is it only 'some' awe? I began to play with the idea of great things being full of awe, or AWEFULL.

In our faith life, hope is an 'awefull' gift. As I considered this thought, what came to mind are all too many to whom I minister who are hope starved. Life is another day like in the movie, "Groundhog's Day." (Love this movie for it's message.)

There are many strong reasons that Christians should value the awefull gift of hope.

First and foremost, we have a Savior who saved us from our rightful punishment for sin. I imagined Jesus saying, "I'll take his lashes." I imagined being caught before the judge with my ugly sins and Jesus saying, "I'll take his nails. Let him/her go." Other faiths don't have the person of worship rescuing the guilty. Dishonor Allah, Buddha, the Jews' Abraham, Shintoism, name them, and you are lost. None have a saving deity. None. These poor souls who live in a New Age culture, worship only what God they make of them self. So sad.

Only Jesus saves. Awefull hope.

We also have hope because of the promises made and kept that are embedded in our scriptures. Recall all of the promises Jesus made and will keep. John 16, "The father is in me and I am in the father as they are in me." Jesus promises we are to be that intimate with our maker, to be "one" with them.

To be intimately included with our maker and His son is Awefull hope.

We have history of faith. So many believers before us have lived rich lives due to the gift of their faith. We, too, have history within our story of how God saved us from ourself, how He loves and comforts us. We have experiences within us that can only be explained as God moments. Why? Because He is alive in us, around us, and before us. At the end of Matthew's gospel Jesus says, "I will be with you always, even unto the end of time."

He's sitting/ standing right next to you/me this very moment.
Awefull hope.

We have Jesus who came to earth to be like us in all things but sin. Philippians 2 states, " Although he was of the nature of man, he took the form of a slave." Jesus lived the life of a human. He experienced all that we experience, all of it: hunger, sleep needs, human functioning, hard labor, friendship. grief, joy, laughter, muscle pain, sickness- all that humans experience- except sin. My point, one whom we honor understands intimately our human condition.

Jesus was man and God with understanding of our struggles-not a far away spirit without compassion. We can tell Jesus everything, and He 'gets it.'

Awefull hope

I realize that I'm suggesting something unusual in conversation, but my thinking today was captivating. So many experiences we call "Awesome" are really "Awefull."

Among them are all the awefull reasons for hope in life.

You're all Awefull family and friends. I'm so humbled.

Upcoming:
Santiago! We break the 500 mile mark by mid morning.

Carinosamente,

Deacon Willie