Life Lessons from the National Parks

August 30, 2010

Now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

America is still struggling through economic woes for sure, but I see some hopeful signs of recovery, both nationally and personally. In the past few months, two people I know have gotten jobs after looking for a long time—one of them is my daughter (yay!).

Friday’s New York Times ran an article about how vacation travel is rebounding, but with an emphasis on frugality. That’s good news for the National Park Service (NPS), which expects about 285 million visitors this year. Already, the number of tourists at big parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite and Death Valley exceeds last year’s totals. The Times piece quotes an NPS spokesman as saying, “We usually see an uptick in visitation when times are tough.”

That phrase made me wonder if church attendance had gone up as well, and according to a Gallup poll, it has “inched up” so far in 2010. But the organization adds this caveat:

There has been well-publicized speculation about the possibility that church attendance has risen over the past two years as Americans became more despondent and worried as a result of the economic recession. However, trends in Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index, an ongoing measure of perceived economic confidence, reflect just the opposite pattern, with both church attendance and economic confidence increasing from 2008 to 2009, and now into 2010.

Such correlations do not prove causality, and it is possible that despite the more positive economic confidence, other economic realities such as unemployment could be related to the increase in church attendance. Still, these particular population-level data do little to directly support the theory that people seek out the solace of religion, as measured in religious service participation, when economic times turn tough.

So what does it take for us to turn to God? The first thing is the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that is, as Charles Ryrie explains it in his study Bible, “to set forth the truth of the Gospel in such a clear light that [people] are able to accept or reject it intelligently; i.e., to convince [them] of the truthfulness of the Gospel. The Spirit will help break down the indifference of the typical pagan who has no conviction of sin, who holds a low regard for righteousness, and who pays no heed to warnings of the coming judgment” (from John 16:8-11).

As Ryrie notes, we are free to accept or reject this truth; however, the middle ground—indifference—is a more typical response among unbelievers. The apostle Peter warns of this attitude: “’Where is the promise of His coming? [they say] Everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed [and] by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of [the] ungodly” (2 Peter 3:4-7). In other words, God’s work in creation is proof enough that He does what He says He will do.

But still there are those who will say, “Okay, okay, I get it. But I’ll think about it later.” Have you ever heard the Winans’ song, “Tomorrow” (not the one from the musical Annie)? If you’re not familiar with it, please listen to them sing it on youtube.

No, tomorrow is not promised, as the song concludes.

What God does promise is today, and eternity (Hebrews 13:6, John 3:16).

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior and as Lord of your life, better choose the Lord today.

For tomorrow very well might be too late.

Comments (2) Sep 01 2010

December 28, 2009

Thomas said to Him, “Lord…how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:5, 6

A shout out to my cousin Beth, who called my attention to an Utne Reader blog post by Keith Goetzman entitled “Don’t Be a National Parks Bagger.” This is what he has to say about the attempt by people to see all 58 national parks:

What’s wrong with visiting all the parks? Well, for starters, doing so would leave a massive carbon footprint…If we burned the auto and airplane fuel it would take to visit all the parks, many of which are in remote and hard-to-reach locations, we’d emit a huge amount of CO2 that ultimately would work against the very places we’re trying to preserve…For another thing, “park bagging,” as I’ve heard it called, is ultimately an elitist pursuit, a game that very few can play. Face it, only the wealthiest and luckiest among us has the vacation time, the money, and the means to have a chance at ticking off all 58 parks, and even announcing your achievement to the world can come perilously close to bragging about what an amazing fortunate life you lead—not the sort of message parks advocates should be sending.

Mr. Goetzman suggests that instead of a “collect ‘em all” mentality, national park lovers should instead adopt a “better, nobler impulse,” that is, to acquaint themselves with just a few parks very well rather than “attempt to superficially survey them all in baseball-card-collector fashion.”

Here’s part of what Kurt Repanshek of National Parks Traveler has to say in response:

Hopefully the folks who are members of the National Park Travelers Club don’t catch wind of his column. This group celebrates travelers who look at visiting as many of the 391 units of the National Park System not as something that’s elitist but rather something that’s both a challenge and a great way to celebrate and appreciate the national parks movement in the United States…
Indeed, if all you seek to attain is a National Park Passport stamp, then yes, “park bagging” is over-rated and denies those involved in such an endeavor a tremendous opportunity to see fantastic landscapes and get at least an introduction to different ways of life and cultures...Many people do fall in love with a small handful of parks, and visit them time and time and time again, which can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. But let’s not be so self-righteous as to ridicule those who want to see as many of these magnificent landscapes and soak up the rewards they offer.

All of this back and forth about carbon footprints and elitism is certainly thought provoking, and I tend to side with Mr. Repanshek’s more conciliatory position. The parks are enjoyable both as day trips, and as longer, more involved expeditions. Environmental impact is a consideration, but it’s really not for one person to say which is the “right” way to see our national parks.

Unfortunately, many people apply that same reasoning to faith. “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you’re sincere,” is the prevailing sentiment. “What’s true for you may not be true for me.” To believe Jesus’ claim In John 14:6, that there is one truth and one way, is seen these days as intolerant and elitist in the extreme.

I mentioned one response to this point of view in a previous post, so for now I’ll just look at it from the “exclusivity” angle. If we start with the concept that there is a God who is our Creator (and establishing that fact is a whole ‘nother discussion for a whole ‘nother day!), then He has the right to set the rules: “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’” (Isaiah 45:9).

Does that make God elitist? Hardly! Jesus makes it plain that He came for the whole world (John 3:16), that whoever seeks Him finds Him (Matthew 7:7-11, Revelation 3:20), whoever is thirsty for Him can be satisfied (Isaiah 55:1-3, Revelation 22:17), and whoever believes in Him receives forgiveness (Acts 10:43). Scripture is full of “whoever’s!”

What God does not have tolerance for are the religious “baggers” who are only interested in the “stamp” assuring them of heaven. He makes it clear in Revelation 3:15 and 16 that superficial, lukewarm faith just doesn’t cut it.

But for those who fully fall in love with the Lord, who acquaint themselves with Him, who “visit” Him time and time and time again, and celebrate and appreciate all He’s done for them, a rewarding experience awaits (Hebrews 11:6).

Yes, a life dedicated to God can be a challenge, but the benefits are more fantastic than even the most exquisite landscape, both now and for all eternity.

And no worries about the carbon footprint!

Comments (2) Dec 30 2009

November 23, 2009

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, God lifts up the islands like fine dust. Isaiah 40:15

I’ve mentioned Dayton Duncan in a previous post—he’s the co-executive producer of Ken Burns’ series on the national parks. And as I’ve also said, I’m behind on my magazine reading, and I just recently finished the July/August issue of Budget Travel, which had a sidebar on some of the two men’s favorite parks.

Here’s what Mr. Duncan had to say about Isle Royale, a national park in the corner of Lake Superior, reachable only by boat or seaplane: “[I]t’s the biggest island on the biggest [freshwater] lake in the world…On Isle Royale is another lake, Siskiwit. You hike to it and take a canoe to an island on it, called Ryan Island. Then you’re standing on the biggest island on the biggest lake on the biggest island on the biggest lake in the world.”

Got that?? It took me a minute to fully digest what he was saying. I’ve never been to Isle Royale, but his description has moved it to my “must see” list!

All this “bigness,” however, is nothing next to the One who made it all. Lake Superior is a mere drop in the bucket. The islands we marvel at God regards as specks of dust. The entire universe is minute compared to His might and power.

Those thoughts lead to one more:  How does God view us?

He graciously provides several beautiful answers, perhaps most notably in John 3:16, as Jesus simply and succinctly states that God loves us so much that He sent His Son to give us eternal life. But when I think of us humans in relation to the rest of creation, I always turn to Psalm 8, David’s contemplative hymn of praise: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers…what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?…You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings…You made him ruler over the works of Your hands…” (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6). I imagine David felt just as I do when I read his words—amazed, humbled, awestruck, and very thankful—because he concludes, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (v. 9).

Just this afternoon, as Joe and I waited outside at the airport for a ride home, I watched several sparrows scurrying around, scrounging for bits of food, and remembered Jesus telling His followers that He has His eye on each one of those numerous, ever-present birds. “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31), He reassured them.

Such power, such tender love! What a mighty God we serve!

Comments (0) Nov 24 2009