Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Last year, I fell in love with geocaching. Have you ever been geocaching? All over the world, people have hidden tiny containers. These little containers (think film canisters, tiny boxes, and small baggies) usually contain a paper log of everyone who's found the geocache, and sometimes, special treasures. If you download the geocaching app on your phone, it helps you in your quest: providing you with coordinates and clues as you look for these elusive items.

Deacon Wes, my dad, members of Rooted (our young adult group), my clergy mentor, and so many more people were such good sports when I insisted they join me in the search for geocaches! I loved exploring forest preserves and parking lots, trees and light towers, street signs and stones while looking for these little treasures. There was something so exciting about going to all of these places and looking for something that was likely right in front of me and yet so hard to see. It was a thrilling challenge that I was enthusiastic to take on.

While geocaching is a blast, it's not always fun to search for something you can't find. As a matter of fact, I'm going to go ahead and say it's often the opposite of fun. In Exodus 17:1-7, the Israelites are exhausted, stressed out, and likely traumatized having barely escaped their oppressors. They follow Moses through many places as they head to the Promised Land.
Where is it? They don't know.
When will they arrive? They don't know.
What will it be like? They don't know.
On top of all that, they're hungry and thirsty and nothing about this journey has been easy.

We find ourselves in a very different situation than the Israelites, but I wonder, do you thirst? Are you longing for certainty, clarity, health, or community as we pass the half-year mark of this pandemic? Are there things you can't seem to find that you need in order to care for yourself spiritually, physically, or mentally right now? What is it that you are seeking and where is God as you search?

Together, we will ponder these questions in worship this week. Looking forward to seeing you on Zoom or in the sanctuary!