I have been tromping through the woods a lot these last days, taking advantage of the precious snow cover and the sunny winter weather. Bundled up and with +Sister Rita Ann’s walking stick in hand I have been fortunate to see lots of deer, birds of all sorts, and several other travelers on the path.
The other day while walking deep in the woods, I was attracted to the sound of a helicopter overhead even though it was obstructed from view. My mind went quickly into imagination mode. I had flashes of every wilderness rescue movie I have ever seen. I imagined what it would be like to be lost deep in the woods and to suddenly hear the sound of a rescue helicopter above. I thought of all the ways I could signal the search party in order to make my whereabouts be known. I even went so far as to speculate who would play me in the made-for-TV-movie! But most of all, I wondered what it would feel like to know that people were looking for me and I was very close to being found. Oh, can you imagine the joy!
I chuckled to myself with those images and was then struck by the idea that we are being searched for! God is constantly looking for us. When we are lost, God is there to find us, and when we are in trouble, God is there to help. Although there are times when we feel alone and afraid, in reality we are never lost because God is always with us. We are never far from God. And the great thing is that we don’t have to be lost in the woods to know that God is in search of us!
It is a comfort to know that our God is always looking for us. It is good to know that we are never lost.
The eyes of the Lord search to and fro over the whole earth
in order to strengthen those whose hearts
are fully committed to God. 2 Chronicles 16:9
Photos by Sister Lisa Maurer
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Sister Lisa MaurerSister Lisa Maurer was born and raised in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Before entering the Monastery, she taught and coached in Catholic Schools within the New Ulm Diocese. Sister Lisa made her first Monastic Profession in August 2009 and on July 11, 2012, she made her Perpetual Profession. Her first ministry was working at the parishes of St. Lawrence and St. Joseph in Duluth. Currently she is the Mission Integration Manager of the Benedictine Health System.See all of Sister Lisa’s posts. |