“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters,

be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord,

knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

As you know, I enjoy backpacking. The route planning, logistics, equipment checks, meal planning, preparation, and skill development all appeal to my analytical side. The friendships and conversations, the natural beauty, the remoteness and adventure, and the unexpected surprises all appeal to my creative side. While the majesty and intricacy of natural beauty also connects to my spirituality, perhaps the most significant connection for my spiritual life is simply living in the moment. Without internet or communication technology, without a calendar to follow, and without plans to make or projects to work on, I find it easy on the trail to be present in the moment. On one trip to Glacier National Park, none of us brought a phone and the cheap watch we did bring to tell time broke on the first day. It was a most freeing experience. We woke up with the sun, went to bed when we were tired, ate when we were hungry, and hiked without any sense of pace or objectives tied to time. The most important thing I had to do was what I was doing at that moment. God is only present in the present moment. It is only in the here and now that God can be encountered. On the trail, the most important decision I had to make was where to take my next best step, literally. 

This weekend, we are beginning our annual stewardship renewal. From a macro view, it is easy to get caught up in the need for ministries to have volunteers, the planning that needs to occur, and the budgets and financial considerations that support our mission and operations. These do appeal to my analytical side. It is also a time of reflection and recalling the good that has been done, the lives that have been changed, the resilience and perseverance of a faith community in the midst of challenges, the beauty of a family gathered in worship, and the sacrifice of love for the good of others. It is awe inspiring and it does appeal to my creative side. Spiritually, however, it is the same as being on the trail. I need to encounter God in the here and now. The stewardship renewal is, for me and I hope for you, a moment of encounter. The most important decision I have to make is where to take my next best step on my faith journey. The most important decision you have to make is what is your next best step. 

The stewardship renewal is an opportunity, if taken, to be present to God and to allow God to be present to you. In this moment, what is the next best step God is calling you to make? Sometimes, those steps are an unexpected leap or an anxiety producing risk. On the trail, I have crossed snowbanks with unsure footing, turned a corner in the trail and encountered a bear, and have had a mountain goat walk through my camp. In stewardship renewal, I have volunteered for something I didn’t know if I could do, committed time I didn’t know if I would have, or gave at a level that only made sense with faith in God. Sometimes, however, those steps are an incremental progression of the path I have been on. In fact, this is most of the time. On the trail, it has been a measured and confident step toward that night’s camp, a scramble over a boulder, or a saunter in a mountain meadow. In stewardship renewal, it has been a recommitment to a ministry I know and love, a decision to learn about something I am interested in, or an incremental increase in my giving based upon the growth in my resources. In all cases and in the moment, it was my prayerful discernment of my next best step. 

It is my great hope that this moment of stewardship renewal will be an encounter with God for you, for all of us. Whether it is a leap or you plant your foot with measured determination, what is God asking of you? What is your next best step?