Tourists. Whether screeching up to the Grand Canyon for a quick family-photo, or gazing at the Eiffel Tower sporting new white tennis shoes and a J'aime Paris t-shirt, or getting in all of Jerusalem or Rome’s holy sites in the course of a three-hour tour, tourists have a certain way of seeing and experiencing the journey. Tourists prize speed, efficiency, safety, comfort and quantity.
The downside: they often need postcards and pictures to remind them where they were, whom they were with and what they did. And sometimes they end up just going in circles:
Travelers. At times they know exactly where they are going, but often they’re more excited about what might happen along the way, who they’ll meet, and the joys of discovery. Curiosity compels them. A longing to learn and be shaped anew energizes them.
They, of course, get tired too but each day, each encounter holds the possibility of soulful serendipity. There's freedom to explore...and grace to get lost...lost in the adventure. They are not checking off sites, succeeding with some list of must-sees, but rather they are experiencing, being present.
The traveler does however, have to summon courage and be willing to go the less crowded route:
Throughout Scripture God has used concrete concepts to direct us to spiritual truths. Our relationship with God and the life He’s called us to has been described in Scripture with journey imagery (i.e., paths, pilgrimage, heading off to distant lands).
Here’s a look at some of the imagery we explored our first gathering in May (inspired by the chapter "Going to Mordor" in Mark Buchanan's book, Your Church is Too Safe).
Tourists. On our journey with God, we are not called to let another person take the lead (tour guide), tell us what's important, and try to go about it the same way as everyone else. We may end up seeing the same sights...but we may get there in different ways and different times, and different aspects of it might move us most. God has invited us as individuals (in the midst of community) to go on the journey.
Travelers. God does call us into an adventure. He longs for us to be curious---curious about knowing Him, others, the world He created. Our lives' itineraries certainly get rearranged—disrupted—but when that happens the traveler doesn't see the trip as a failure, but as a way to experience dependence on the Lord and somehow know the Divine and others in ways we hadn't had before. And, travelers bring their authentic selves to the journey...no matching t-shirts. They also have to travel light; it's a long journey for most. Baggage/possessions may get stripped, to be able to go where God calls them.
In the midst of the distinct journey each of us take, here are some shared realities I see. We travel in Community—with the Fellowship of Father, Son and Spirit and with the solidarity of other Christ followers. We embrace our need for grace, for God’s mercy and forgiveness, for the wisdom of Scripture, and for the opportunity to converse with God en route. We recognize there is an Evil One hell bent on distracting us on our journey. Yet, God’s goodness is more powerful and His capacity to redeem suffering far more certain. We experience God’s pursuit of love for us and the Divine’s loving pursuit of others. We revel in His invitation to join Him in the redemption of earth and humanity.
I’d be curious to hear how you understand the Tourist and Traveler imagery. Below are the questions our wonderful panel of women discussed during in May. I encourage you to contemplate them with one or more friends and then to pray about one spiritual practice you’d like to focus on in the next month (see Take it Further).
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OWN JOURNEY
1. Did you ever have to make that transition from Tourist to Traveler in your own life? If so, can you share briefly how that happened?
2. What are some ways you most authentically encounter God? (Not as a tourist - but as a traveler) How did you discover those ways?
3. What happens in your spiritual journey when you feel lost, God seems distant, or you're just utterly exhausted? (What practices might drop off? How has God met you there?)
4. While travelers don't have a checklist and avoid the tour group approach, they often sort out rhythms to make their journey sustainable. What do your rhythms/spiritual practices looks like?
5. If you were going to head out on a long journey with God and could only pack 3 items/spiritual practices what would they be?
6. If you could give one piece of advice for other travelers, what would you give?
TAKE IT FURTHER:
What's one spiritual practice you'd like to try or grow deeper in this month that can help you be less of a Tourist and more of a Traveler?
It’s a gift to be on this journey with you! I can’t wait to see what God has plotted for each of us.
"The invitation to travel is a dance lesson with the Divine." --Graffiti on a gas station bathroom wall
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Psalm 84:5
written by: Tamara Park
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