I am a geocacher. That means I participate in the activity of geocaching. Some of you know exactly what that means, others are sort of familiar with the activity, and others of you haven’t a clue what I’m talking about. The simple explanation I tell people is that geocaching is treasure hunting with technology. Fellow geocachers hide small containers, or caches, in public places and then post the coordinates (latitude and longitude) on a special website on the internet, and then other geocachers use the posted coordinates to find the cache that is hidden. There’s usually a logbook in the cache container, so once the cache is found, the person signs the log and then puts the cache back in place for the next person to find. There are thousands of caches hidden all around the world and at least 60 caches here in Mitchell. So far, I have found 754 caches.
Part of the fun of geocaching is the search. The caches are often placed at unique and interesting locations. So, in the process of the “hunt” for the geocache, a person is often taken to places they might not ordinarily go, and sometimes the description of the cache location will tell a little bit of the story of what makes that spot interesting or unique.
Yet, the process of finding the cache can take some time and work. You see, the tracking equipment one uses to find the location of the cache, via the coordinates, doesn’t take you to the exact spot. They say it’s likely to be within 10-15 feel of the location. And the other factor is that the cache container isn’t painted a bright orange to help you locate it, it’s usually camouflaged to help it blend into the setting so other people don’t find it and run off with it. If the cache container is large enough, it might also have some little trinkets in it. But for me the fun part is finding the cache, signing the log, and enjoying the location.
In many ways, the season of Lent is a bit like geocaching. There’s a beginning point – Ash Wednesday. There’s an ending point – the cross of Good Friday. And then there’s the journey in between those two points. What one experiences along the way can vary from person to person, but there is always a treasure or two just waiting to be discovered. When a person is open to the leading of the Spirit of God there can be all sorts of unseen treasures just waiting to be found and applied to life. But it takes the willingness to put in the time and energy to seek out and notice the treasures hidden along the way.
In geocaching, the most common container might be something like a rectangular Tupperware container or even a pill bottle that seals tight. However, there are some individuals who get really creative with the caches they create and hide. They blend in so well it takes a careful eye to find them. The same is true for the treasures that await us in Lent…or in the faith journey. Sometimes the faith treasures are in plain sight and sometimes they blend in to the surroundings and take a careful eye to find.
Recently I was reading from Psalm 62. It’s one the Psalms written by David. As I read the first two verses, I found myself reflecting on David’s dependence on God, especially in some very difficult moments. Through it all David was able to say, “For God alone my soul waits in silence… God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.” As I read those words, they spoke to my soul. With a number of different things going on in our world, I have found myself longing for something stable. David reminded me of the true source of stability in life. “God is my rock…I shall not be shaken.” What a wonderful treasure those words are. In fact, it is now my goal to memorize Psalm 62:1-2 as a part of my Journey in Lent. This was an unexpected treasure just waiting to be found. I hope you find a treasure today…or in this season of Lent too.
Serving Together,
Pastor Keith