Isaiah 49:8–15
John 5:19–29
Psalm 145:8–19

“And I will turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be raised up.”

When I was a kid, my family went backpacking for vacation. We backpacked all over the mountains in California from Sequoia National Forest to Klamath National Forest. We used to go out for two weeks every summer, logging as many as 100 miles in a single trip.

I discovered early in my life that being out in the splendor of the wilderness feeds my soul and helps me to put things in perspective. Now, I backpack with Douglas and the Boy Scouts from Troop 4100. I look forward to every opportunity to be out in nature, to unplug and unwind.

“You open wide your hand and satisfy the needs of every living creature.”

In our collect for today, we pray to God, who “sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven”. We ask that God “Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life…”. Lent is about pausing to reflect and feeding your soul. How do you feed your soul? Take a hike!

Gracious God, thank you for the grandeur and majesty of creation, and the reminder that we are but a small part of it. Thank you for the generosity with which you shower us daily. Help us to see and appreciate all that we have and make us mindful of the needs of others. Amen.
-Rob McPeak