I am just finishing up a very busy week of travel, teaching, learning, and sharing my research.  I am writing this post as I fly at 30,000 feet from Vancouver BC, Canada to Minneapolis, MN.  I have been going flat out and have not been able to manage my daily walk with water for a couple of days.

Rather than feel guilty about the gap in my posts I thought it would be appropriate to view this time as a series of invigorating rapids that required my full attention to avoid a mishap…like a student forgetting their passport in a restaurant and not realizing it until the next day — 30 minutes before we were scheduled to sail on a ferry!

As I reflect on what was missing over the last couple of days when I did not have time to continue my “walk on water” one word came to mind….equilibrium.  The pace of the last week has not favored balance and equilibrium.  I think God understands that we will pass through these times in our lives, and I do not think He holds them against us.  I have the feeling he was carrying me like a son many times over the last week.

My sense is that the journey I am on with water, God, and the bible is ultimately a lifelong trek.  God wants me to carry out this journey with joy rather than a sense of judgement when I am not able to meet with him every day.  I feel like God wants me to incorporate the wisdom He shares with me about water in the bible in my bones rather than carry it like a burden on my back.

I have missed the daily wrestling with difficult passages, the hidden gems found in unexpected places, and the rain from heaven that God provides this “tender plant” along the way.  In some ways the distance of the last few days has allowed me to view my journey as a cherished friend or loved one who has been away.  A friend who has returned now for a cup of tea to share about the adventures of their journey.  I am excited to dive in again with a fresh sense of wonder to see where God leads.