Walking to Zenibako: a devotional

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It was such a beautiful day today that I decided to go to the beach for the first time this year. For the past couple of days I have been thinking about pilgrimages and what it means to walk with God. So when I got out onto the city streets and the sun hit my face I spontaneously asked God to walk with me. I was thinking it would be great to be in his presence as I walked the 10 minute walk to the train station. And as I walked I felt filled with a great joy of life as if he was walking right beside me.

So I sat down happily and waited for the train to take me to the beach town of Zenibako. The train started moving and the countryside rolled on by. But then things took a turn and God suggested a more meaningful path. There I was contentedly sitting on the train when the conductor came and told me that I was at the last stop. What do you mean this is the last stop? Zenibako is still one stop down the track. Nope this was it. So I thought ok I’ll just exit the station buy another ticket and wait for the next train. However, God had other plans. He fixed it so that you needed a special commuter pass to get back in to the station. With no other alternative I struck out for Zenibako on foot.

On the way I gradually became aware of this feeling of calm. I appreciated the peacefulness of the Japanese countryside and the fresh sea air that was beginning to fill my lungs. Then I started to think about the pilgrimages I wanted to take, maybe The Way of St. James. I thought about the act of walking and how it freed your thoughts to dwell on God and how so much of life is putting one foot in front of the other. I began to smile because this unlooked for diversion was kind of a mini-taste of what a pilgrimage is. And that’s when I remembered my request. I had asked God to take a walk with me and he had answered. And I will walk with the Lord all the rest of my days.





An entry from the journal that I kept when living in Hokkaido. Also an interesting first seed of pilgrimages to come.

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Comments

[Home and Away]

Do it! Walk a pilgrimage!
My pilgrimage along the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela in Sep/Oct 2016 was the most amazing event of my life. Since then I've walked portions of the St. Olavsleden in Norway and the Via Francigena in Italy. I plan to walk the last 20 miles of The Old Way to Canterbury in 2019. But my four weeks on the Camino Frances was the most memorable as I found that I needed more than two weeks to get into the experience.

[Tommy No Papers]

Yes!
The camino is definitely still firmly on my list. Back in 2010, it was on the TOP of my list, but life stepped in. When the time is right I will be up for it once again. And I think when I go I will copy your idea of 4 weeks in the early autumn. Sounds sublime.