move on

Brendan, the Irish saint

is said to have asked God

as he and his intrepid band traveled in their coracle

seeking the “Promised Land of the Saints”

 

“How will I know what I seek?”

 

how many of us travel through life

like those brave monks

who journeyed across chaotic seas

 

facing many a danger

and finding many a land 

 

wondering

“will I ever get there?”

and “will know it when I find it”

 

how many of us go through life

somewhat homesick

 

feeling uprooted

as if we have left our place of origin

but not quite she if we have landed where we were meant to be

or even if we are headed the right direction?

 

it seems to be the almost permanent condition of God’s people

to be “on the way” to the promised land

and to be wandering

 

it is as if there is no straight path

 

there was no straight path of Abraham

nor for Isaac, or Jacob

nor for Joseph, and later Moses

and Aaron

 

Samuel did his wandering

and Saul too

and David walked many a crooked mile

 

there is blessing in the wandering

in the uncertainty

there are gifts to be found

along the way

 

and there is something powerful in the question

“How will I know what I seek?”

 

How indeed

How will we know we are on the right road?

How will we know the place we are meant to be, when we find it?

And when we find it?  Then what?

 

Do we get to camp?  To settle?

or do we get to appreciate this land of promise,

taste the fruit, wander in the shade,

only for a moment

 

before we are called to move on,

higher up,

deeper in?

 

and do we leave the place we have lingered

better than it was before

before we move on?

do we leave better people?

 

people journey

nations journey

perhaps even faith systems journey

 

blown by the wind of God

across sometimes violent and dangerous seas

 

let us always be those who seek the promise

let us always ask the question

let us always move toward the promise

not looking back

 

but pressing forward

toward the promise

of hope

of joy

of peace

of love