The Hobbit, the newest installment from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings franchise has this tag line:
"An Unexpected Journey."
It is a fictional story filled with mythical creatures. The main protagonist is Bilbo, the Hobbit. Hobbits are comfortable creatures, who enjoy the simple pleasures and comforts of life: smoking a pipe, reading books and eating good food.
Hobbits are not ones for exploring or discovery.
But in this story, Bilbo finds himself on an unexpected journey with a bunch of dwarfs. At first he is against going on the journey Gandalf wishes for him to be on, but there is a turning point where the excitement of risk and unknown wells up in this Hobbit and he joins the crew.
“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Our lives are unexpected journeys. Even amidst the so-called mundane and routines of life.
Sometimes we are called on an adventure, perhaps to follow and pursue a dream, like starting a bakery or writing a book... little unexpected journeys.
The crazy thing is, we have a choice while at the same time we don't have a choice. We never know what the other choice would have been. We can always say things like, "I wonder what would have happened?"
With anything in life, we are confronted with this option, do we GO or do we STAY?
If we GO, it may not be easy, perhaps scary or risky, full of fearful moments. We may miss the comforts of our life. Freeing and liberating with nothing holding us back.
If we STAY, it may be simple and routine, and we can come home each night. To some it may seem oppressive because of the stability.
Our life is full of unexpected moments. In fact, every moment can be an unexpected moment of "Going" or "Staying."
It's not whether we GO or STAY, more or less, but rather why we are "going" or "staying?"
Why do we GO on journeys of adventure, or STAY put in the comforts of every day life?
Do people who GO on journeys lead more "fulfilling" and "meaningful" lives in comparison to those who STAY?
I'm in the middle of a book called "Brother Lawrence, practicing the presence of God," and he is a monk who cooked meals and did routine tasks filled with great love. His whole practice of life was to be continually aware of the presence of the Creator, in every task. In the tasks of "Going" and of "Staying."
"I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health." Brother Lawrence
What if we really believed that God is near us on this unexpected journey of life? We GO when we feel called to go; we STAY when we feel called to stay.
What if the Creator of the Universe, the One who knows the deepest truths, who loves us so deeply and intimately, is truly alongside of us, giving us direction and hope? Not walking the steps for us, but whispering in the silence little hints for us to follow, all while longing for our love and affections, only things we can offer when we are aware.
Any unexpected journey we go on, if we are truly trying to follow God, our hearts will be aligned, so really no matter what we do, whether it is run across the state of Iowa, work in a cubicle, go on an unexpected journey, or stay put and wash dishes, we can find the meaning, purpose and joy out of a love for the Creator.
