Are You Willie Nelson?
Word From Wiese
July 8, 2026
Willie Nelson is always “on the road again.”
So many COS folks are on the road too, especially in summer. Some of us will head to the mountains. Others will journey to beaches, family reunions, mission trips, camps, or long-awaited vacations. However we travel, summer often invites us to hit the road and discover something new.
God’s people have always been travelers.
Noah floated through the flood in an ark. Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem. Jonah famously hitched a ride inside a great fish! Abraham packed up and journeyed toward an unknown land. Paul sailed across the Mediterranean sharing the good news (which our COS Journey Team got to track in Greece last June). And Jesus? It seems he walked almost everywhere, traveling dusty roads from village to village, teaching, healing, and loving people along the way.
Is all our travel a reminder that faith itself is a journey?
Travel can provide wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth. Long stretches on the highway may offer quiet moments for prayer and reflection. I prefer when LuAnne starts up a conversation which can go deep in ways it might not at home amid the busyness of everyday life. Travel also allows us to marvel at God’s handiwork: majestic mountains, rolling farmland, sparkling lakes, vast oceans, sunsets, and star-filled skies. (Coming off July 4, we’re still singing “this land is made for you and me.”)
Vacation may change our scenery, but of course it need not interrupt our relationship with God. In fact, travel can deepen it.
The good news is that wherever we travel, God travels with us. The psalmist assures us, “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore” (Psalm 121:8). God’s presence is not confined to church buildings, certainly. God accompanies us on highways, airplanes, cruise ships, hiking trails, and family road trips. And it’s so cool how many of you let me know how you’re checking out COS worship services online when you’re on the road.
The Lord spoke these comforting words to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
And Jesus made this promise to all disciples: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As you travel this summer, may you not only arrive safely at your destination but also discover anew the faithful God who journeys beside you every mile of the way.
Questions for Reflection
- How might you use some of your travel time this summer for prayer, gratitude, or meaningful conversation?
- Where have you experienced God’s presence most clearly while traveling?
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Fritz
Let us pray:
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of travel, rest, and new experiences. Watch over all who journey this summer. Keep us safe in our going out and our coming in. Open our eyes to the beauty of your creation and our hearts to meaningful conversations along the way. Remind us that wherever we travel, you are already there, faithfully walking beside us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
