When we moved to Montana years ago, one of my goals was to explore the mountains. I wanted to experience again the joy and adventure I felt as a kid growing up surrounded by the mountains at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. In our area there are plenty of mountains to explore . . . lots of trails to discover. And so, I did. I went hiking a lot the first couple of years after we moved here.
I was ecstatic . . . at least most of the time. There were moments on certain trails that I wonder what in the world I had gotten myself into. One day I decided I wanted to hike Bear Track Trail off the Beartooth Highway. It is approximately 12 to 18 miles out and back depending on who is talking. It is rated a difficult hike climbing about 4,500 feet in elevation. And it is rocky with lots of switchbacks. It is a tough trail and one Saturday I decided to hike it by myself . . . and for the most part, I was by myself. Which, half-way up the trail I decided was pretty stupid on my part as my heart was thumping to jump out of my chest—there were points where I thought I was going to die . . . in the mountains . . . alone . . . bear food. It was a tough hike.
At one point I came to where I thought I had made it to the end of the trail . . . that I had reached my destination. I was happy that I had survived the climb and was alive. Then I came over a small incline and saw a sign stating that I was still a good two miles from the top. Now I really thought I was going to die, but I trudged on hoping my heart and feet could make it. Eventually I did reach the top. As I was standing there enjoying the accomplishment and exhilaration of the altitude it suddenly hit me as I surveyed what seemed like endless mountains in my sight. “Darn! There’s more of them!” Mountains strung out before me as far as the eyes could see! I sighed; will it never end?
You have probably heard the expression, “See the forest for the trees.” On one hand that phrase means “seeing the big picture or the bigger, broader reality”. On the other hand, it means “to be overwhelmed by detail to the point where it obscures the overall situation.” At the top of that trail . . . that was where I was. I got a good picture of the immensity of the mountain range before me, and it overwhelmed me by the task I had yet to do.
When walking through a forest one has no idea how big or broad the forest is. All that can be seen are the trees that are directly in front and around you. All that can be seen is right there and unless one was afforded a bird’s eye view no one would have any idea of how large or small the actual forest is. Often there is a lot more there than what one sees. Thus, journeying through the forest can be anxiety producing, frustrating, and overwhelming as the question becomes, “Will it ever end?”
In our scripture reading that is the question the disciples are facing . . . will it ever end? Will they ever get it? Will they ever understand what it is that Jesus has shown and taught them? Will they ever get and understand the “big picture”? For you see, God and Jesus are so much bigger than what they have seen and been told. Their truth and purpose so much bigger than ever imagined. For this reason, Jesus tells his disciples: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.” Then he warns them that there will come a time when they have to “see the forest for the trees.”
Jesus tells them: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth . . . and he will tell you what is yet to come. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
It is no wonder the disciples felt overwhelmed when they started to see the “big picture”. To follow Jesus is so much more than anyone ever imagined.
All we have to do is to open ourselves up to the Holy.
That is the challenge of the Holy Spirit . . . opening us up to the Holy.
The role of the Holy Spirit is to show us the Holy . . . to show us God’s presence in the world and in our lives. It is to reveal to us the truth of God . . . to show us God’s will. It is beautiful . . . it is awesome and awe-inspiring . . . and can be overwhelming. As Jesus told his disciples . . . it is “more than you can now bear.” Yet, at the same time, it will be the truth: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” It will not be the Spirit’s truth, but God’s truth. And it is this Spirit that pulls us into movement to follow Jesus—his teachings and his ways.
The challenge of the Spirit is seeing the forest through the trees. Isn’t that what happens to us once we accept the grace of God through Jesus and dedicate our lives to the Holy? We admire the trees of faith, but quickly discover that it is so much more than we ever realized. It is like be getting to the top of the mountain only to realize that it was just the beginning and there is a whole heck of a lot more mountains to climb.
To follow Jesus is tough and at times overwhelming because Jesus wants to bring the Kingdom of God to us . . . wants us to establish it here in our time. Because of this we are called to move beyond the simple solution and to delve into the actually making change that brings about the command to “love one another”.
It is one thing to feed a person when they are hungry. It is another thing to solve the issues of why people go hungry in a world where there is plenty to feed everyone. It is one thing to end a war, but it is another thing to figure out how to prevent wars in the first place. It is one thing to offer thoughts and prayers to those touched by violence, but another to get to rooting out the cause of the violence. Jesus’ work is the hard work of establishing God’s kingdom . . . of working towards the idea of a loving family where all are loved, respected, cared for, and wanted . . . where there is peace and justice . . . where we are stewards of creation and not dominators.
And it is the Spirit that reveals that truth to the followers of Jesus. Jesus tells us: “That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
The hard work of faith is not coming to accept Jesus. No, that is just the beginning. The real work comes when we begin to realize that there is a forest . . . a great big creation . . . that we are called upon to discover and live in. The Spirit reveals to us the “big picture” of God’s will . . . of God’s desire. Jesus shows us the way. The Spirit is the prompter who points us in the direction to go.
Let us remember that faith is a journey and not a destination. There is much work still to be done. The Spirit reveals it to us.
Dang! And we thought we had arrived!
Remember the “gospel” . . . the “good news” . . . is a never-ending story. The Spirit calls upon us to write our part. Amen.
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