Don't miss the beauty along the way

        The other day my daughter and I went on a long, lovely hike.  Emphasis on both "long" and "lovely."  The views were spectacular and the hiking was plenty challenging--in fact, this old bird had a bit of trouble trying to keep up with our daughter.  Eight mile hike?  Piece of cake, I was thinking...two hours max. 
        Ugh, wrong.  That might be two hours on the nice, flat greenway, but it most definitely was not two hours on the stony path climbing up and down Mt. Albert.  More like four hours, thank you very much, of determined hiking with only a wisp of a teeny tiny break to take a photo here and there.  By the time we got back to the car, I was both exhilarated (by the glory of God on full display) and relieved (that I could finally sit down--Hallelujah!)  What a Creator! What a creation!

        But here's the thing--that hike consisted of step...after step...after step.  Some steps climbing up and around boulders.  Some steps hiking back down rocky, meandering paths. Some steps through lush green woods. Other steps passing amongst fields of blackberry bushes. If we wanted to reach the top, if we wanted to savor the views, we had to keep moving, keep taking one step after another. 
        When we began, I assumed we'd arrive at our destination in no time, so I set off with a jaunty, energetic stride.  But then the hike went on...and on...and on.  We--let me rephrase that: I--grew weary and thirsty and hungry.  The beauty along the way took your breath away, but at times, that summit seemed impossibly far away; like when my daughter told me, "We're getting closer! Only two more miles"...but this was after we'd already been hiking for nearly three hours. I must confess a sense of discouragement set in at that moment. But my daughter was up ahead, so I just kept putting one foot in front of the other. Step...step...step...step. Until--glory!--we reached the summit!
          The funny thing was, however, that the summit proved mighty anti-climatic.  It consisted of a giant bolder perched up high in the middle of thick woods.  No soaring view over the mountains and valley from the tip of Mt. Albert.
         Nope.  The views, it turns out, were all along the way, all along the journey.  If we'd been too focused on our ultimate destination to notice what was all around us on the way there, we would've missed the glory, the wonder, the beauty in the here.  It sounds so cliche but it's so true--don't miss all that God has for you along the journey in your drive to reach the destination. 
        The beauty and wonder of life consists of all its ups and downs, its ins and out, its joys and sorrows.  As I once heard it said, each day has its share of Good Friday moments and Easter moments.  We can't have one without the other...nor would we want one without the other. Rolled all up together, that long, sometime arduous, sometimes glorious journey, is a magnificent and beautiful tapestry...and its wondrous destination is our eternal Home. 
         The key, of course, is the One who goes with us every step of the way.  Our Good Shepherd who leads us beside still waters. Who restores our souls. Who loves us and teaches us and guides us and corrects us and forgives us and who, most remarkably of all, actually enjoys us!  His job is to do all that we'd ever need, all that our souls require, while still getting us to His ultimate and glorious Home.  Our job is to keep stepping faithfully, day by day.  To keep following our Good Shepherd. To keep loving Him and loving those He's placed alongside us in this journey. 
         Have you grown a bit weary in the journey?  Today, ask the Lord to give you a renewed sense of His presence and an increased love for Him as your Good Shepherd.  Ask Him to reveal to you the magnificent views along the journey.  And then thank Him for each and every moment, each and every view, each and every gift He so extravagantly showers upon your path all along the way.  Oh might we not miss the beauty--and His beauty--along the way.
          To God--our glorious Good Shepherd--be all the glory.