Grace and peace to you from the Holy Trinity; God the Father, Jesus Christ, his only son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Many of you are familiar with long car trips. 

Depending on where you are going, how far you have to travel, and who you are riding with, there are many things that can happen on the road. 

I am thankful for the contemplative nature of driving alone. 

Last week I was fortunate to represent our congregation, as your pastor, at my annual First Call Retreat. 

While I may have made some fun of this, I think it was out of the anxiety of having to drive 370 miles roundtrip to attend this gathering. 

I would like to share what happened in those 24 hours on retreat and almost ten hours of total driving. 

The weather and the roads were clear as I headed south to Camp Onomia. 

I made good time on the way down, arriving at Camp at 3:45, just in time for the welcoming worship at 4pm. 

I was told when checking in that my roommate was currently a second year online student at United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

My expectations were for a younger person who was just beginning their call and working on their studies. 

To my surprise my roommate Rick, was 77 years old, and currently serving as a SAM (Synodically Authorized Minister) in Isle, just five minutes away from camp. 

He and his wife had been teachers in the Anoka/Hennepin School district and retired about three years ago to a home on the shore of Lake Mille Lacs. 

Like Isaiah’s magnificent vision of God we are all called and sent.

Somewhere on his journey Rick heard, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 

Following Jesus’ call he was now both retired and a new candidate for ministry. 

Rick and I shared many stories and found a common interest in downhill skiing, where he had only learned to ski at age 50 and became the High School Ski Coach and had many wonderful ski trips stories that he shared with me. 

Like Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we are called to hand on the good News. Rick was a breath of fresh air, breathing the spirit and willing to share. 

Jesus finds us, teaches us love and service, shows abundance and asks us to follow, what would you do? 

Rick was like Simon Peter, James and John, dropping everything, from a great catch of fish to the comforts of retirement and “having made it” to following Jesus. 

That kind of all can keep a person up at night. “Here I am, send me!” 

After a restless night of fitful sleep I felt like the exhausted disciples, who were unable to catch any fish as they worked the night through. 

Surprisingly Jesus never leaves us empty. 

Like bursting nets of fish I had the predictions of 4-8 inches of snow for my drive back to Finland. 

I was distracted by the storm, and about half of my colleagues had already left for home. 

How do you leave early when the Bishop is there; furthermore, I knew that she was also heading my way, stopping off at Two Harbors for a Sunday service in Grand Marais.

The snow started to fall around 1pm and plans were adjusted to have everyone leave earlier, so by 3pm I was on the road, but I was not alone. 

God was with me in a way I had never really experienced before. 

I initially started up the wrong side of Lake Mille Lacs, fortunately noticing my mistake and being able to turn around. 

Little did I know that I would spend almost an hour on that lonely stretch of road behind a snowplow. 

At first this was a welcome situation, a freshly plowed road. 

Yet my top speed was somewhere between 30 and 35 mph as the plow never gave room to pass. 

I chose to stay back a safe distance and enjoy the ride, rather than fight it. For that time it was me, the snowplow, and a talk with God. 

I was calm and thankful that the plow was there, comforted for others out in the storm, I wasn’t alone. 

When I reached 35 there was a string of cars and one clear lane. While a few cars passed on the left I kept my place in line. 

My saying has been, no matter how slow I am going, it is better than spending any time in the ditch. 

Upon reaching Duluth it was almost a white out, between the snowfall and blowing snow from the cars I started to question my choice of continuing on. 

How do you follow when you barely can see where you’re going?

I began to feel my stomach tighten, the stab of anxiety that grows into a sharp pain behind my left scapula in my back and the stiffness that sets into my left knee. 

My body was telling me something that my mind didn’t want to listen to. 

If you have ever been driving through bad conditions, perhaps you were driving last Saturday night you know the feeling. 

I was only about 65 miles away and questioning what to do. 

Was I tempting fate? 

Was I testing God? 

What did I have to lose? 

What would you have done? 

I prayed for calm and gave thanks for what I have been given. A calm we receive knowing that we are loved and forgiven, that we matter. 

During the first dark and desolate section of 61 from Duluth to Two Harbors I saw two cars. 

There seemed to be a middle section to the road that was defined by the large unplowed sections on either side, driving in the middle. 

I was thankful for the road signs and fire numbers that marked where I didn’t want to be. 

I was thankful for the people that maintain and plow our roads. 

I was thankful for the oncoming cars that were using the same middle lane, but going slow enough so we could pass safely side by side.

“Do not be afraid” I reminded myself that I have been called to follow. Follow a plow, follow a faint tire track in the road, follow Jesus. 

This isn’t a reckless tempt of faith, but a prayer that God is watching out through all of the people in my life. 

Misty was watching the weather, with concern, but confidence that I have driven in conditions like this and wouldn’t put myself in danger. 

With faith I was encouraged by the high quality snow tires, the flawless operation of the van and the people who built and maintained it, and knowing that I wasn’t out there alone and had people to catch. 

Simon, James, and John have just caught the greatest catch they have ever made and it is Jesus. 

Jesus is the gift of life to follow, not the bursting nets of fish that threaten to sink their boats, to swallow our lives with greed. 

Safely ashore they left everything and followed Jesus. 

“Do not be afraid” to follow Jesus. 

Jesus is the path warming your heart and guiding your spirit home. AMEN