Wilderness Worship
Sue Tell, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
"Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!" Psalm 89:5
Harvester Island, Alaska. September 4-11, 2021.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
The Doxology bookended our time in Alaska. Its message is never more meaningful. My eyes moist once again remembering.
My home is in Black Forest, Colorado to Denver to Anchorage to Kodiak Island, Alaska. A real question… Would we make it to Harvester Island on that bush plane?
Kodiak, sunny and blue didn’t tell the story of the heavy fog shrouding the rugged terrain between us and Harvester Island in the Alaska wilderness. Yes, I was nervous.
The morning before leaving, I sat and watched the birds at my feeders. A Eurasian collared dove came for breakfast. A dove – God whispered:
"Peace I leave with you; … let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27
A timely, needed message, a prelude of Wilderness Worship.
One of my fellow writing students ministered deeply to us by playing familiar hymns of our faith by memory on the 1906 Steinway. We waited for God’s direction. Would the bush planes fly that day? Peace I leave with you. Worship, wonder, expectancy.
Wilderness Worship.
The fog grounded the bush planes, the Cessna and the Piper Cubs; flying over this piece of Alaska wilderness was impossible that day.
Plan B. A run to the small Walmart cleaning them out of blow-up mattresses, and purchasing lunch for unplanned-for-guests. We were readying for a big slumber party.
We circled, held hands for the first time that week, and sang The Doxology, our faith declaration of the blessings anticipated during the next seven days.
Wilderness Worship.
Plan C, God’s plan. Before even choosing sleeping spots, the phone rang. The bush planes might not be flying, but float planes were. God’s provision, an answer to prayer I didn’t think to pray. Humbled.
Wilderness Worship.
Quickly we pulled our knee boots (an important accessory) from our luggage, re-zipped, and piled into pick-ups with our 50-pound suitcases stacked precariously (to my lower 48 eyes) in the bed of the truck.
A brief drive to the float planes. Soon, not only our luggage, but we too stepped on a large scale. Our weight is recorded in ink determining who flies with whom. Jennifer, Janet, Joan, and Karen were my flying partners.
Flying high over this gentler swath of Alaska wilderness in our Beaver float plane, the beauty kept us wide-eyed and snapping pictures. A highlight… a momma bear and her two cubs searching the Alpine carpet, foraging for dinner. The bears heading my list of the wild and wonderful creatures God gifted us within their own habitat.
Wilderness Worship.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Soon, too soon, we were landing in Uyak Bay, the home of Harvester Island. Harvester Island is a working fish camp; our hosts, the Field’s family pull salmon from their nets
three times each day; also our home for a week.
The pontoon floats of the Beaver cushioned our landing. Grabbing the hand of our pilot, we carefully walked down the float stepping into the shallow waters thankful for knee boots. Our luggage followed, delivered by a Kubota tractor.
Myra, my roommate and I unpacked in our spacious barn dorm room complete with a view of Uyak Bay. Each morning gifted us with beautiful yellow and orange sunrises painted by the original Artist, His color choices exquisite. And in the dark of night, the bright stars another gift.
Wilderness Worship.
Sunday morning began with communion. Tyler, the pastor among us, reminded us of Jesus inviting his disciples after a long night on the water to a breakfast of fish. John 21:9-14. So appropriate. Smoked salmon was added to our pilot bread with its long shelf life, and wine made from grapes and honey, the grapes local to Harvester Island. We feasted on the dried smoked salmon, a similar fish to what Jesus offered his disciples, as well as the bread and wine. We remembered. For me, participating in communion will never be the same.
Wilderness Worship. Expectancy escalating.
Friends, think through how expectancy and peace both draw us to trust.
PRAYER
Father even though today we’re not on Harvester Island, would You offer us Yourself and lead us in worship and to expectancy wherever we are. We praise You. Amen
Copyright, March 2022, Sue Tell, originally published on Echoes of Grace 9/16/21
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Tell is the wife of William Tell, a great name if you want people to remember you. Mother of two married sons (one a PCA pastor), two delightful daughter-in-laws, and Mana (gramma) to six special gifts to our family, ages 2-16. Sue is a member of Village 7 Presbyterian where she enjoys the ministry of mentoring. Her ministry loves: writing, mentoring, and speaking, and she is the author of Echoes of Grace, written to invite readers to better understand life through the lens of God’s grace, suetell.com. Sue loves traveling - especially to warm places - with my husband. At home, walks with Molly (our Golden Retriever).
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Originally published Wednesday, 08 November 2023.
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