Pastor Rick Jaech

  Dear Friends in Christ,

  "Stand at the crossroads, and look,
      and ask for the ancient paths,
      where the good way lies;
   and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."

  Jeremiah 6:16

  Part of the fun of summer-time is traveling to new places and wandering the back roads. Sooner or later in our travels we come to a fork in the road where we can either take the familiar path to a known destination, or head off down a less-traveled road that we have never taken before. Some of our best discoveries and most exciting moments happen when we venture into the unfamiliar. Jeremiah reminds us that our back-road wandering also becomes a pilgrimage when we let it be a journey that draws us to God. No matter what road we are taking, when we travel to and with God, we find rest and joy for our souls.

  In Jeremiah's day, every faithful Jew (who could afford it) tried to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at least once a year, or as often as they could. Whole villages and clans would make the pilgrimage together, with the children playing and the parents talking with old friends all along the way. It was a wonderful break from the daily routine and also a chance to stand in the presence of God in the temple at Jerusalem.

  Jeremiah's words above remind us of something that every pilgrim discovered: the presence of God is not only found at the end of the journey, but all along the way. The surprises, difficulties and discoveries that pilgrims encountered each day of their travels continually brought them into the presence of God. Each day of traveling helped them to realize how the strength and love of God is always close at hand.

  "Stand at the crossroads, and look,
      and ask for the ancient paths,
      where the good way lies;
   and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."

  Jeremiah 6:16

  Where will your journeys take you this summer? To the mountains or the beach? Traveling back to see family and hometowns? Maybe to a whole new place or even a new country?

  My prayer for you is that each of your journeys becomes a pilgrimage. You are always at a crossroad. The next path you take can always be a path that takes you closer to God. In fact, the truth is, God travels with us on all of our roads, and the wisdom, grace and presence of God accompany us along each way. What we most need is for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we can see this.

  A line from our prayers last Sunday caught my attention. It said, "Renew us when we have temporary rest from our labors. May vacations, breaks and retirements create space for the fullness of life to take root."

  So whether you are going to Disneyland or Detroit...whether you are heading down I-5 or just meandering up the Washougal River Road, here is the way to be a pilgrim: Look for God. Listen to God's calling. Know that you are in the presence of the Holy. Find rest and joy for your souls.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Rick Jaech