Today’s Guest Author: Rolf Lowenberg-DeBoer, Assistant to the Bishop for Lay Leadership and Equity Initiatives

Isaiah 35:1-4
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.

Photo by Ales Krivec on Unsplash

Have you ever sat at a campsite somewhere deep in the wilderness watching a glorious sunset and felt a complete unity or oneness with all things?

That is the Holy Spirit connecting you to Creation. When you are out in nature you can feel the deep and abiding presence of God everywhere. You can see God in all of Creation—in the moss-covered rocks, in the bark of a great white pine, in the cool waters of a lake you have never gazed upon before. You know you are not separate from any of these, and you are not separate from God. You know that you are loved and that God is love and that God loves you just the way you are.

I love the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It’s a holy and sacred place. It’s a place where my soul is restored…a place where I forget my fears and I am reconnected with my inner strength and wisdom, God within. It’s somewhere I can be fully present, where I am able to give my full attention. It’s a place where the land is glad, where one can see abundance and rejoice with joy and singing!

It is a privilege to go to these holy and sacred places and to have the time to do so. It is also something cherish. Later this summer I will head up to the Boundary Waters with my family. How special! I hope my children experience the majesty of God in the wilderness. It is certain to be an adventure. While there is always some kind of adversity, because that is what makes it in an adventure, we can know and feel that God will be with us every step and paddle stroke of the way.

And we can remember this line: “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.” God is with us!

Prayer: Holy One, thank you for all of the wild places of the world, which you have created. Give us time to be fully present in those places, and open our hearts and minds to feel your presence and abundance all around us and in us. Amen.