Lessons from the Green Way

I wanted to have some time alone with God on this last Sunday morning in Spain, so I set out walking a trail called La Via Verde, the Green Way, from the neighborhood of Batoi. It used to be a train track, now converted into a paved path for foot traffic and bicycles. At first, I was just going to walk to the bridge that can be seen from afar, but upon reaching it, curiosity moved me on to see what was on the other side. Seeing that the path continued, and that it went through tunnels and woods, I decided to walk to the end of it and then return. (I walked 3.5 kilometers before I realized it doesn´t end--then I turned around and walked back.) I walked along, talking with God silently, enjoying the view. It was crowded with people out for exercise--families, cyclists, old folks out for a leisurely stroll, and people walking their dogs. I wanted to commune with God alone, and I kept a look-out for a side path or even just a rock in the shade off the path where I could sit alone and think. Not finding anywhere that I thought was safe from scorpions, I continued to walk among the crowds, moving to the side for cyclists and stepping around dog piles that hadn´t been picked up. I became frustrated and asked God to show me a quiet, shady place to meet with Him.  A poem came to mind, which had also surfaced when we were on the mountaintop near Javea earlier this month. It goes roughly like this:

I wanted to be close to God

And climbed the highest steeple.

But God said, ¨Go back down again.

I dwell among the people.¨

(I don´t know who wrote it)

God seemed to say to me, ¨You don´t get to be a hermit--you must seek me and walk and talk with me among the people and amidst the busy-ness of life.¨ He said I could walk and talk with Him in any location. It´s not about where I serve Him, or even in what capacity, but about walking and talking with Him, building relationship, just like I have been with Susanna this month, and just like I have with Mike for 27 years. God´s goal isn´t for me to serve Him or to work for Him. His goal is to be with me and enjoy my company! Sometimes He may want to get me alone for a grand revelation, but usually He just wants to go for a walk with me. How presumptious for me to seek out a quiet place to go and almost demand, ¨Now talk to me!¨ This is no replacement for daily conversations and relationshp-building. In fact, if I´m too busy for Him on a regular basis, why would He impart great wisdom to me on the rare occasion that I delegate as ¨God Time¨?