Pilgrim Paths: Using our Imagination
One of the many highlights of the recent LESNW women in leadership retreat was exploring “Our identity in Christ” through meditation on the book of Psalms. One of the three sections focused on “Pilgrim Paths”. The pilgrim Psalms (120-134) can help us to focus on walking daily with Christ.
Some of the elements of the pilgrim psalms include journey, direction, anticipation, mundanity and community. As we journey, we tap into God’s presence on our daily ‘walk’. Next, we focus on direction, so where are we headed? Anticipation requires us to focus on the vision or destination. Along the way are the mundane things of life. So how is God present in the ‘everyday’ aspects of life? Finally, who are we travelling with? Who makes up our community?
When reading a psalm, we need to use our imagination, internalizing it, be there! This connects to the ‘anticipation’ part for our lives. It’s one thing to focus on the journey and direction but what are we ‘anticipating’? What can we see that we are journeying towards in our personal life, local community, work, learning community and in the world?
In my current work I have been challenging and inviting teachers and leaders to visualize their ‘preferred future’ or a vision that they want to create in their classrooms, in their teams in their learning communities. While the steps to get there are important it is just as important to imagine what it would be like to be in and to be part of what it is that we are walking towards.
The pilgrim Psalms anticipate realities such as living together in peace, feeling safe, a place where justice rules. What are you anticipating personally and collectively? An inclusive community where everyone has a sense of belonging? An environment where God’s unconditional love is lived, and compassion shared? A community which cares for each other, welcomes the stranger, and works for justice? A community which protects and cares for the environment, enabling a flourishing ecosystem? A community which values the awe and wonder of learning and uses it to contribute actively and positively to the well-being of the world now? A community of hope and joy?
Who are your fellow sojourners? How are you creating a community who you walk with as well as seek to find expression of blessing with?
What a blessing it is to know that we are all part of a ‘community of learning communities that is thriving, supportive, and compassionate, having a common foundation, that collaborate to enable each community to achieve its vision’. How great to know that we have fellow walking partners for the road ahead and a God of love who is in and with each one of us each step of the way!
Mignon
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber.
Psalm 121: 1-3
