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Three countries. Four trips. Twelve flights. And more hours in vehicles than I can count (seriously, I tried my phone calculator and gave up). This summer has been filled with my favorite pastime: traveling.
Exploring foreign places and embracing new experiences is refreshing and exhausting, rewarding and challenging. Beautiful scenery comes with jet lag. Stylish sticks combined with culture shock.
Savannah Green
Travel takes us out of our routine. It keeps us in an asynchronous, fleeting routine where our comforts, desires, and ambitions collide with reality. We recognize that our corner of the world is designed differently than other corners.
For example, the streets of Jerusalem They are filled with markets and motorbikes, while my streets are lined with churches and SUVs. My sister organizes her house differently than I organize my apartment. The fast life I live in the United States is an uneasy life for a retired couple in England’s Peak District.
When I travel, I understand that my reality is not a normal mold. The way I show hospitality may differ from the way someone else says it. My expectation of a happy day will not please everyone. Aldi isn’t everyone’s regular grocery stop. Believe it or not, everyone wakes up to a mocha pot with coffee flavored with vanilla almond milk and drinks it from a beautiful mug every morning.
“When I travel, my reality is not a normal mold.”
Spending time away from these experiences reiterates the underlying truth: they are not ephemeral or permanent. The earthly place I live in and the habits I practice are not eternal. They are not mandatory. They are not my house; But they point to my house.
I participate as a Christian. Currently in the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit empowers me to live in a way that gives witness to others. I am part of the Church, united with brothers and sisters in Christ. However, my soul longs for the future kingdom of God. I see an eternity where Christians live in the glory of God. Sin will no longer exist, creation will be new, and God’s covenant with mankind will be restored.
My cozy apartment and planned calendar pales in comparison to eternity. The quality of our here and now is weakened by possessions, routines, and places. Eternal quality is rich in God.
Traveling reminds me of my eternal home. It points me to God’s kingdom and how I can participate now. Getting out of my turn gives a new perspective on purpose. I will learn again to purpose my life to reflect Christ. My schedule, my apartment and my job have been changed by the Holy Spirit for the service of the kingdom. My turn no longer serves me, but serves Christ and others.
I drink tea when I wake up (Not a mocha pot coffee) Made by my English hosts, I remember this served a casual purpose. It’s different from my daily routine, but because my hosts went out of their way to serve me and other travelers, it reflected Christ’s love for us. The Christian family who sold us souvenirs in Israel live by tradition and work differently than myself. However, I see the desire to serve Christ and others in their ordinary lives.
Travel teaches us what foreign places are. It opens our eyes to how different our daily routines are from others. But through the lens of Christ we can see eternity in all the mundane things.
Walks through the deep green fields of the Peak District. Sharing it on Israeli hummus and pita bread. It is in airports. It’s on email, grocery trips, and meal prep. It is early morning sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. He is in a bar with friends. And it’s morning with a mocha pot coffee.
Savannah Green He serves as a campus staff minister for Baylor InterVarsity GFM and a minister in residence at First Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, serving college and international students. She is pursuing a divinity degree from George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor.
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