Milestones and Monuments

Not too far from our home, an old milestone sits against the wall by the roadside. Its angled faces are inscribed with the distance to the local town hall, and to that of the city up the road. Anyone travelling past slowly enough can read how far it is to one or the other. I don't suppose many people need this information now, especially since online maps can calculate routes to anywhere, and take account of current traffic as well.

Even before technological developments, I wonder how few have ever set out with a milestone as their destination. Perhaps if you lived right next to one, you could include it in directions for friends, but it would still be a feature on the way, rather than the place to arrive at. That's one of the differences between milestones and monuments.

A milestone forms part of an ongoing journey. It may be a marker to work towards, but soon the traveller moves on, setting their sights on a goal beyond it. A monument, on the other hand, is sometimes a destination in itself. The cenotaph in town forms a meeting place, and famous statues attract visitors. Although primarily pointing to something or someone significant in history, a monument is perhaps a place to linger.

I've been thinking about milestones and monuments, since this year I hit the big 4 0 in the same week that I became a Conference Ministerial Candidate (CMC) in the Free Methodist (FM) Church in the UK & Ireland, and I've also just completed an MA in Theology. In celebrating the birthday, whilst we made memories to look back at, it was definitely something of a milestone. Only one of the 'faces' had a number on it, though...

I like to think of becoming a CMC as a milestone too. As an entry to the FM track to ordination, it's the beginning of a particular 'route', with an intentional direction. It speaks of a journey so far, but also of further to go. It's important though, to say that I also see ordination as another, albeit very significant, milestone. It won't be a destination to 'arrive' at. It's one means by which the church acknowledges God calling a person to serve in particular ways, but it too is part of a longer and much more foundational journey.

This week, having submitted my MA dissertation, I'm enjoying a long-anticipated rest. It's another milestone, and an opportunity to reflect upon 6 years of theology study, and 6 years as part of our church family at Garstang. In moments of quiet, I've been repeatedly struck by the sheer goodness of God. Perhaps it's easier to tune into that truth when the pressure is off and there's a sense of having achieved something, but I do see too, that in the most intense and tricky seasons, the conviction of God's call—and consequent equipping—has sometimes made the difference between being able to persevere and having some sort of meltdown.

I'm looking forward to another graduation, and I'll probably display the certificate on my study wall as a reminder of where I've come. But the journey certainly doesn't end here. Up ahead there'll be more milestones in pastoral development, the privilege of teaching, and hopefully PhD study. Beyond it all, though, my heart longs for something far better. The Creator and Saviour, who calls and equips, is both my source and my destination. Everything else, by God's grace, can become a milestone en route to the very greatest, and most undeserved prize of all.⬦

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