Epiphany in Savoonga

I don’t have too many mountain top experiences, ah-ha moments or epiphanies. I have a lot of little moments that keep me going, but rarely does God give me a bigger glimpse of His work in the world. I know I only spent four days in the village community of Savoonga, Alaska, but it was one of those moments for me. And to top it off, the ah-ha moment only hit me after I had re-entered “normal” life in Fairbanks.

 

Here is the epiphany: God is real!

 

I know that may not seem like an epiphany to some but for me, this was astounding in the depth of the simplicity. God is real.

 

The moment hit me as I was talking with my wife, Cyndi, about the struggles of the business of church and how I wish that we could not have to deal with that. The day to day, whining, complaining, making mountains out of mole hills, grunt work of the church is incredibly draining and, for me, distracting. I get down when petty disagreements and personality conflicts seem to take precedence over the sharing of God’s word and the good news of Jesus. I know that as a pastor, I am called to share that word with God’s people. That means that in the midst of all of the mess of life, my job is to be the one who brings the good news. So what do you do when all you want to do is tell the people of God to shut up and quit whining? Apparently, a pastor can’t do that.

 

What you do is you go away for a bit. Maybe it’s for a long while, a sabbatical, or maybe it’s a short while, like four days in Savoonga. You have to remove yourself, or have God remove you, in order to gain some perspective. That is how I was blessed by God while in Savoonga.

 

It was not a single moment or a single person who shared with me the reality of God and the power of the Holy Spirit and the salvation of Jesus. It was simply being in Savoonga. While sitting and talking with people, worshiping three days straight, hearing stories and being far away from anything I knew, God was and is real. For the people in Savoonga, God is present, imminent, here and now. He is not some distant, ethereal, vaporous genie, waiting to be conjured up when needed. He is real. God is the guy who delivered food to the house when the wind was blowing. Jesus is the voice that answers prayers and comforts hearts. God is the guy who, somehow, delivered fuel oil to the island just before the tanks ran out. The Holy Spirit is the breath that was given to a dying child who held on just long enough for the parents to say good bye. God is real.

 

It makes me ponder, ruminate and question my own approach to God. Have I seen him as real and imminent or have I only thought of him as a metaphysical concept? Have I only spoken of him in big words, deep words or words that help me to fit him into a theologically manageable box? Have I spoken to him as though I didn’t think he really hears me, but only because that’s my job? Have I allowed my mind to be conformed to this world, even the church world, and not transformed by the word and spirit?

 

Now, mind you, this issue has not arisen just since I’ve been a pastor. For those who are concerned about burnout or other things of that nature, relax. This is how God has dealt with me throughout my life. When I stray, he redirects me with a firm hand. That firm hand is always governed by love. It has always happened that way and this time, with Savoonga, it is no different.

 

He took me there through my friends with Celebrate Recovery, Alice, Don, Liz, Charles, Bill, Chris and Lisa. He took me there with a firm hand and certain plan. He took me there to meet Him again. I met him in Jacob and Kammie, Owen and Logan. He took me there to see him again. I saw him in the snow, ice, sunrise, and the general store. I saw him in the homes of Ora and Heather. I heard him in the voice of 94 year-old Ora who told me that men don’t wear caps in front of women. Yes, ma’am. I heard him in the Yupiq voices of “How Great Thou Art.” I heard him in the life story of Sherry and her son who died on the cliff. I heard him in the laughter of Ike and Marvin and Dean. God took me there to meet him again and for that I am humbled and grateful.

 

God is real. He is here with us in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is with us in the Word and Sacrament and in the body of Christ, the church. He is also as real as the person sitting next to you. Thanks be to God for His patience and love.