Something I saw in my church's weekly newsletter, from The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand:
The wise men set out on a journey into the unknown. No Google maps or GPS, just navigation by the stars as their forbears had always done, but guided this time by a heavenly body which they had not seen before. Although they were not sure of exactly where their journey would take them geographically, the wise men did know that it would take them to the infant king of the Jews. They travelled through the unknown to a meeting with Jesus, trusting that along the way they would find the sustenance and guidance they needed to complete the journey.
In a physical sense we don’t often journey into the unknown. The internet allows us to do everything from working out a route to booking the shuttle that will meet us at the airport.
Planning reduces risk, and there is certainly benefit in doing that when travelling. But planning can also be about being in control of our lives and even the lives of others. Sometimes our mania for planning can prevent us from hearing the voice of God in our lives.
As we stand on the threshold of 2014 we each face a journey into the unknown. Each of us in our own way will try to prepare and plan for what we think this journey of 365 days will bring. We may be unhappy in our work and considering launching out into the unknown of a new job. A partner, child or parent may have just died or be about to die, and living without them may be an unbearable journey into the unknown. We may be on the brink of retirement, facing a new way of living. Or deep down we may know that 2014 needs to bring change to our lives but cannot see how that can happen.
The wise men set out in faith and hope to find Jesus, relying upon God to bring them safely to their unknown destination. In trying to cope with the unknown it is very human to consider all the eventualities and how we might respond, particularly to those things that might be harmful or painful. If we contemplate the example of the wise men our prayer as we embark upon the journey into the unknown of a new year can be very simple: ‘Lead me to Jesus”. It is a prayer which God delights in answering.
And for those of us who can become so immersed in our plans and goals that we fail to look for heavenly guidance, sometimes a second prayer is necessary: “Holy Spirit, help me to recognize and respond to your guidance as I seek Jesus”.
The star is always present in our lives but we do need to learn to look for it.
I think I'm really afraid of the unknown. Who isn't? But I think following God's will often requires steps into the unknown where things are out of your control. Yet, how many times have I said that I'd follow God's will, only to silently tack on "as long as it's something I'm happy with"?
I was actually faced with this today. Someone from church told me about this possible scenario that could end up going really well. But to do that, I'd have to face a lot of unknowns and having things out of my control. I'm tentatively saying yes, but deep down... I have my own plan of what I want for myself. Yet as I write this, I'm wondering whether or not it would be more worth it to go the route of the unknown. Can I let go of my plans?
There's so much that I want to go well in 2014... but I wonder how readily I will be able to take those steps with complete faith.
