In his first column, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of

Scotland, the Rt Rev Colin Sinclair recalls the lessons learned on ‘The Jesus Trail’.

I HAVE walked the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way with members of my family. However, in 2016, I was invited to go on a walk by my wife, Ruth, not in Scotland but in Israel. This time I would be the novice, because she had already done the walk once (and has since done it a third time in 2017).

We went aiming to raise money for the EMMS hospital in Nazareth. The walk is called “The Jesus Trail”, being the route Jesus took when he travelled from Nazareth to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee.

Our group was led by Amer, who was part guide, part historian and part evangelist. He made the journey come alive and through his eyes we were transported into the worlds of the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Crusades and modern Israel.Not only did he tell us what had happened but, like Jesus, he used what we saw to teach us some of the lessons Jesus taught his followers.

He would bring us to a halt and gently talk till the countryside was filled with meaning. Then the cry would go up “Yella!” meaning time to move on. It was a memorable week, a real pilgrimage.

That journey has helped me understand Jesus’ words “Follow me”. I remember the feeling on the first day, of both excitement at what might lie ahead, and apprehension about the physical demands under a hot sun and an uneven terrain. Perhaps we all have these twin reactions when called to leave the familiar and venture forth not knowing exactly the future.

What helped sustain us on the journeywas our trust in our guide and the developing friendships within the group. Amer had done this walk many times. He knew the way and the best pace to set. He knew when to stop and when to encourage us to make one more effort. He also knew our destination and how to arrive safely in daylight.

As Christians we are called to put our trust in Jesus. He has shared our life and pioneered the way for us to follow. He goes ahead of us to lead us. He also walks beside us to encourage us. He ensures we get rest and renewal along the way. My wife, Ruth, talks about “good moments” and “tokens of grace” and that sums it up well. The adventure of faith is a willingness to step into the unknown not sign up for a package holiday!

However we are not called to travel alone. On our walk we would find ourselves walking with different companions. Sometimes we would walk in companionable silence. Other times we would talk about the road we had travelled and speculate about what lay ahead.

Gradually we learned to trust each other enough to share our stories and take of our masks. Friendships were formed through walking and we drew strength from one another. So it is within the Church, as we serve Jesus together we develop lasting bonds of friendship.

Both in following our guide and sharing the journey, the key is trust. As we learn about Jesus from the Bible and through the Church, we come to trust him, no matter what. As we work with others sharing our gifts and drawing on each other’s abilities, we find the energy to cope when we struggle, when we might be tempted to fall of the pace. For Ruth and I, the journey was memorable and the sense of achievement palpable. We thanked Amer and remain in touch with our fellow travellers on the Jesus Trail

As Christians we are called to put our trust in Jesus. He has shared our life and pioneered the way for us to follow. He goes ahead of us to lead us. He also walks beside us to encourage us. He ensures we get rest and renewal along the way.

The Rt Rev Colin Sinclair is minister at Edinburgh: Palmerston Place and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2019/20.