Yellowstone National Park

It part of the tradition of the Montana synod to gather its pastors together for a four day retreat after Easter. Since I felt like I ran a marathon last week, I was ready to sit in the hot springs and take a break from ministry.

One of the afternoons at the retreat, my friend and I drove to the park. The north entrance is marked with the Roosevelt Arch that reads "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People."

And as we drove through the park, I was thinking it would still take many more visits for me to take in all the wonder and majesty the park has to offer. The beauty is overwhelming. Can one ever take it all in? And even if I've driven every street twice, the seasons still color the park differently, new life is born each spring, and there's always the chance you'll catch a glimpse of an eagle, or a bear. Each trip is unique.

How like the Easter season. Christ is not something we can take in on one trip to church once a year. This is something that takes not only seasons to grasp but years. And each time we visit, we see something new. We commune with creation in a different but equally extraordinary way. Like Yellowstone, Easter is not something we visit once and check off our lists. In many ways Easter, like the arch reads, is for the benefit and enjoyment of all.

Christ is risen! Let's keep celebrating.