Put yourself in Jacob's place. A card-carrying member of the AARP, you're ready to settle in to retirement—a few standing golf dates, a little travel, a Friendship Trays route, and visits from the grandkids. But things haven't gone quite according to plan. The economy tanked, and most of your sons have been shuttling back and forth across the border to secure food for your clan. Each time they leave, you worry about their safety, and whether or not they'll return.
One thing you haven't considered, though, is the possibility of relocating your whole household to a foreign country. But you're learned that your beloved son—the one whose death you mourned years ago—is alive and well far away. More than that, he's worked his way into a position of power that can ensure your family's livelihood. The gravitational pull is too strong to resist, and so you call Two Men and a Truck to pack you up and move you to a foreign land.
What are you thinking and feeling? That you can't wait to see Joseph? That you're too old for such a major life transition? That you're nervous about how you'll be treated as an immigrant? That you hope everyone makes the treacherous journey safely? Probably all this and more.
And what do you do about it? You remind yourself that it's not all about you. You tell the movers to pull over, you press "pause" on your mental chatter, and you thank God for being part of the journey. Oddly enough, your making space for God means God shows up even in your dreams, promising to be a portable God who will continue to travel with you as guide and companion, as one who makes a way for you. And it's this encounter that reframes a daunting relocation as a spiritual adventure that, even at your age, enlivens your step.
- What kinds of physical or spiritual relocation projects have been part of your journey? What kinds of challenges did they bring?
- What small steps can you take today to open yourself to God's presence in your life?
- What other details did you notice in today's reading?
Prayer: Forgive us for forgetting about you, O God, as we wind our way through life's unforeseen challenges. Remind us of your presence. Turn our challenges into adventures. Amen.
Breath Prayer: I will go down // with you.
