Written Spring of 2012

Mark 8:31-38

This reminds me of a time when my husband, Ken, and I lost each other.  We were on a weeklong anniversary celebration in England.  We had spent the whole day driving to Cambridge in haste for a 6 pm walking tour that met at the downtown tourist information center (TIC).  We were unfortunately running late (about 10 minutes) but hoping that perhaps we could catch up to the tour group anyway.  As we were running from the bus stop, we realized we didn’t have the cash that was required for the tour.  Wow, how did we not realize that before? So we split up. I ran on to the TIC while Ken said he would get some cash and catch up with me. I took up extra time trying to find the TIC.  Finally I found it.  It was closed with no tour in sight.  I waited. I waited. 

Suddenly I had a problem.  The center square was closing; people were leaving their produce stands and it was getting dark.  No sign of Ken.  No cell phone.  No way to get in touch with Ken.  What do I do?  I had no cash.  I kept walking around the same square hoping that Ken would soon arrive.  I walked down an alley in the dusk opposite two young guys…. Ok, now I was getting scared.  But what do I do?  Slowly I realized I had to do the only thing I could do.  Go get some cash from an ATM and take the bus back to our motel room.  I had to give up ever seeing Cambridge.  We were right there in Cambridge, but we weren’t together.  And the world looked suddenly hopeless. 

I got the cash.  As I rounded the corner for the bus stop I saw Ken waiting. He couldn’t find the TIC, so he went back to the last place we had been together. That was what had made sense to him. We learned a lot about each other that night, but mostly I realized that sometimes one has to give up everything to find the way back to each other. 

Being a follower isn’t as easy as it sounds.  We only find Jesus when we give up our hopes and dreams and put our lives in his hands, trusting that he will guide us through the maze of life.