Last week I went down to Tellico Plains to preach for a friend who was on sabbatical. On the road east from Madisonville, the morning sun lit up the fog-draped Smokies, creating one of those pictures that made me struggle to keep my focus on driving. East Tennessee’s natural beauty grabbed me the first time I saw it when my wife and I honeymooned in Gatlinburg (which wasn’t as full-blown touristy back then). Since we moved here, we’ve both drawn joy and refreshment from these mountains.
The Appalachians are like some ranges I grew up with in Montana. The Little Belt Mountains have a similar shape, only they’re covered with pines, firs and spruces instead of the hardwoods that dominate here. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has hills rather than mountains, and no roads. Wherever you go in that place, you must paddle or hike. Everywhere I’ve lived, I made time to get away from “civilization” and immerse myself in nature. For what? That’s a simple question with a complicated answer.
Whatever I might have been dealing with at a particular time, my excursions into the wild always meant a reckoning with God. Exploring the relationship between nature and spirituality would take many more words than this column allows; suffice it to say that seeking God in nature is as popular now as it’s ever been. The big irony for me is that the God I reckon with in the wild always sends me back to civilization. I think the intent has been that I would better function on my return than when I went into the hills.
Psalm 121 was originally sung by pilgrims going to Jerusalem for one of the three major festivals. Whatever route they took, the pilgrims would travel through a valley or plain until they reached the hills of Judea, which signaled they were near Jerusalem and the Temple. At that point they would start the psalm, looking at the hills and pondering the God who helps. The protection, support, deliverance, and mercy of God are for the purpose of making a people through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Whether you’re worshipping in church, going to Bible study, doing daily devotions, or lifting your eyes unto the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee, make sure you return to civilization better able to bless it.
Dr. Carl Grosse is an ordained pastor and author of Faith Along the Way, a weekly KnoxTNToday reflection encouraging readers to recognize God’s presence in everyday life and share His love with others.
Enjoyed this article? Read more Faith Along the Way reflections by Dr. Carl Grosse and learn more about him in his author bio on the same page. Find encouragement and inspiration for your own faith journey.
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