Greenville Church of Christ

Trampoline or Brick Wall

2009-07-05T22:02:00.003-04:00

I've recently finished reading Rob Bell's The Velvet Elvis. In the first chapter he compares different ways of following Jesus. One way is the spring. A spring is flexible and stretches. Like a spring in a trampoline, our beliefs help orient how we live. They're not necessarily the main point, but help us to make sense of our world.

In contrast to the spring is the brick. A brick is rigid and inflexible. Some people have their beliefs set in such a way that it becomes a brick wall. Everything is fixed. Each piece is in place. All the answers make sense.

However, Bell writes,

"Somebody showed me a letter from the president of a large seminary who is raising money to help him train leaders who will defend Christianity. The letter went on about the desperate need for defense of the true faith. What disturbed me was the defensive posture of the letter, which reflects one of the things that happens in brickworld: you spend a lot of time talking about how right you are. Which of course leads to how wrong everybody else is. Which then leads to defending the wall. It struck me reading the letter that you rarely defend a trampoline. You invite people to jump on it with you."

This necessarily impacts how we might share Jesus with others.

"Have you ever seen someone pull a photo out of their wallet and argue about the supremacy of this particular loved one? Of course not. They show you the picture and give you the opportunity to see what they see."

Which more characterizes you, the trampoline or brick wall? Are you defensive or inviting others to jump with you? Do you have any analogy that might be more appropriate?

Independence Day

2009-07-04T07:01:00.004-04:00

As my wife so lovingly reminded me not long ago, "It's not Easter anymore!" I had intended to take a break from blogging. I just didn't intend for the break to last as long as it did. I was reading some books that just didn't quite lend themselves to blogging. And I had lost a little steam along the way.

I still intend to blog. I have some things in mind and I'll be posting regularly again. Have a happy 4th of July.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T17:27:00.003-04:00

I had to explain to the boys yesterday that at most churches Easter is a really big deal. For our small church, it's usually not as big a celebration. We have a lot of young families and most of them travel to visit parents and grandparents. Lots of people we gone.

Going out after Sunday morning we drove past several churches where the parking lots were overflowing. People are packed on the street. We had plenty of parking. Our numbers were down significantly. That often dictates what songs we can sing and the way we organize our worship assembly.

We still recognize Jesus as risen. We still sing praises to God for our redemption. I'm glad our celebration is just a couple times a year. We have followers of Christ whose lives are different every day because of their commitment to Christ. For us the celebration is different.

OVU Lectureship

2009-04-09T08:05:00.004-04:00

I just got back from the Ohio Valley University Lectureship. I went last year and enjoyed connecting with old classmates and people we knew from our time in Parkersburg. This year's theme was mostly taken from Luke, but I also attended classes on Restoration History, Preaching, Leadership, and First Century Life in Galilee.

It was a long drive up and back, but it's good to enjoy in intellectual stimulation. Traci held down the fort at home. I felt bad leaving her with all that is going on at home. I went away three weeks ago. Traci went away two weeks ago. I was gone this past week. She says it's her turn again this week. She certainly deserves it. She's a wonderful partner.

Building Up

2009-03-31T20:14:00.003-04:00

We've been working on a little remodel of our home. Things were slow going for a while. We were taking our time. Then, in the last week, things have really taken off. We're laying floor, installing stairs. There are considerations for insulation, heating and air, windows. Not to mention walls and room design.

#2 likes to go upstairs and plan out where all his stuff is going to go. A place for his bed, desk, dresser, bookcase. I don't think he realizes how big these items really are. He's got his bed, end table, and desk all going in one corner.

Of course that's often how things go. It's difficult to see how things will fit together until they do. We go through life wondering about this situation. How will this setback effect us? How will this new relationship? How will this move? So much to consider, and we can't see God in the midst of it until after the fact.

Retreat

2009-03-27T08:14:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, I went on a mini-retreat. I left Sunday afternoon and spent Monday at the Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Sunday afternoon and evening the park was pretty busy. I could hear teenagers yelling to each other as they climbed the trails and walked within the park. But Sunday night everyone went home. One guy came to the park to walk every morning. As he went around Monday morning he informed me that I was the only one who had camped in the park that night.

Monday was pretty quiet. I spent time reading my Bible and I started Rob Bell's The Velvet Elvis. I was able to go hiking a couple of times, though most of the trails were closed down due to flooding. I enjoyed the quiet. I enjoyed being by myself with God. Sometimes it's good to get away.

Taxes

2009-03-20T08:12:00.003-04:00

I really dislike TAXES. I know it's important to contribute to the well being of society. I know its beneficial; there are things we can do collectively that we can't individually. But I wish there was a simpler way of making our contribution.

Minister taxes seem to be especially difficult. In some ways we're considered an employee. In others, we're considered self-employed. Then there are special rules for clergy housing. It makes for a complex situation. In fact, it usually difficult to find a tax professional well versed in the rules for ministers.

So, I do my own taxes. I've used the same tax software for the past several years and had become accustomed to it. But this year they made changes. I'd have to buy three versions of the software to cover all the rules for ministers. Instead, I made the switch. It's more to figure out. I can only take the frustration in small doses. For two weeks now, we've had tax receipts spread out over my home office.

I plan to have them done this week. I just wish there was something simpler.

Guys' Night Out

2009-03-18T08:33:00.003-04:00

Each week I take the boys out to give Traci a little and much deserved break. We usually go out to eat and then to a book store or some fun activity. Our youngest picked up a book on how to win at poker at this year's library book sale. He's been wanting to play ever since.

So, last night we went over to some friends' house and had a poker night. We had our IBC Root Beer and Cream Soda and pretzel rods for cigars. Our poker chips were candy; Jolly Rogers = 1, Double Bubble = 5, and Air Heads = 10. We played Texas Hold'em.

It was interesting to watch the kids play (we had 5 from ages 10 to 15). Some would go all in quickly (and with nothing in their hand). They'd lose. Go borrow some more candy from someone and be back at the table. Another didn't want to risk it. He won a nice hand early, pocketed the winning and walk away. (He didn't seem to understand that we were splitting all the candy at the end of the night anyway. For a brief while, it was his all his, and he wasn't sharing it with anyone. Although, I think he might have been bank rolling some of the early losers.)

It was a fun night. We finally quit about 10:30 with 4 of the original 7 still playing. One remarked, "You play poker awefully well for a preacher." I didn't start out life as a preacher. I was a finance major in college.

Communication

2009-03-14T16:08:00.005-04:00

Traci took the boys to a local "Jakes Day." The Jakes organization sponsors safety courses for guns and archery. They went last year and enjoyed it, so they headed back out again today. #2 won a gift certificate to a local shop. #1 won a knife . . . or so I thought. Our conversation was as follows:

Me: Where's your knife?

#1: In my piggy bank.

Me: In your piggy bank?

#1: Yes, in my piggy bank.

Me: (looking in the piggy bank) There's no knife in this piggy bank.

#1: Knife? What knife?

Me: What did you think I said?

#1: I thought you said money.

Me: Money. Knife. Yes, they sound a lot alike. Where's the knife you won?

#1: I didn't win a knife.

Me: You didn't win a knife?

#1: No, I won a duck.

Me: You won a duck?

#1: Yes. I won a duck. . . . I traded it for a knife.

Me: So, where's the knife?

#1: In my sock drawer.

Me: That's a nice knife.

Sometimes communication is difficult.

Goats

2009-03-04T08:08:00.005-04:00

We've been having problems with the goats born Monday night. They were all born breech. One died during the birthing process. Another died two nights ago. We were concerned that it was so cold out. We thought she would be OK, but she crawled away from the others and she didn't survive. Last night Traci was concerned about the boy. She's named him Manly.

She brought Manly in to sleep in the sun room. Evidently our dog didn't care for that. She went in and pulled off the towel we had Manly wrapped in. Manly let us know he didn't appreciate that. So at 11:30 Traci went out to try to get him to feed. He wasn't eating. Traci milked the mother and brought Manly back inside. She held and rocked him in front of our heater and fed him with an eyedropper. She got out a sleeping bag and curled up with him in front of the heater. (I think that lasted about half an hour; I went to bed.)

Manly's made it through another night. Sometimes life is hard.

1st Monday

2009-03-02T22:09:00.002-04:00

Tonight we met again for a time of prayer. We focused on Adoration. God is amazing. We read psalms and added our own praise. We also prayed for Jonah Williams (son of Matt and Patrice). After the time of prayer we went out to check on one of our goats. Faye was in labor before we began. She had three kids, all breech (one didn't make it). The kids are very cute. God is amazing.

The Truman Show

2009-02-18T08:49:00.003-04:00

“We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.” So says Christof (This and subsequent quotes and descriptions are from The Truman Show, prod. Scott Rudin, dir. Peter Weir, 103 min., Paramount, 1998, videocassette.). Truman Burbank is the star of his own television show; . . . Only he doesn’t know it. Truman is the first child legally adopted by a corporation. All this action takes place in the largest man-made studio ever constructed. Truman lives on Seahaven Island, a fictional place where everything is controlled, everything except Truman. The Truman Show, created and produced by Christof, generates tremendous revenues through product placement. Truman’s best friend shows up with a special brand of beer. His wife brags about this new kitchen aid that peels, slices, and dices. And wouldn’t you want to drink Mococoa, made from the world’s finest cocoa beans, grown on the upper slopes of Mt. Nicaragua. The producers are forced to manufacture ways to keep Truman on the island. You simply can’t have Truman leaving his world.
The outside world watches, enraptured by the occurrences of Truman’s life. They watch as he grows, they watch as he dates and gets married. They watch as he mows the lawn. They watch as he sleeps.
Everything in this fictional world starts to unravel as Truman begins to realize that everything revolves around him. His entire life is recorded on over 5,000 cameras. Until day 10,913. Truman escapes. He escapes from the world of the cameras. He escapes from the watchful eye of the producers. He escapes from his little island. Truman comes to realize all that he has believed was false, a facade. From the manufactured weather and traffic jams; to his everyday encounters with his neighbors. “Good morning. And in case I don’t see ya, . . . good afternoon, good evening, and good night.” Each morning is the same.
His marriage is fake, his best friend is fake, his job is fake. The buses, the newsstand, the elevators are all fake. All is meant to keep him in his place. All his world is a play and each person an actor, all playing a part for his benefit.
All until Truman escapes. He sails away from his little island. As Truman stands on the edge, before the open door, the door between the only world he has ever known and the door he now believes to lead to reality: Christof speaks:
“Truman . . . You can speak. I can hear you.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the creator . . . of a television show. A show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions.”
“Then, who am I?”
“You are the star.”
“Was nothing real?”
“You were real. That’s what made you so good to watch. Listen to me. There’s no more truth out there than there is in the world I created for you. Out there are lies, deceit; but in my world you have nothing to fear.
“I know you better than you know yourself. I was there when you were born, when you took your first step; for the episode where you lost your first tooth.
“You can’t leave. . . . You belong here . . . with me.”
Truman turns. “In case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.” He bows deeply and then exits.
In many ways we live in a world much like The Truman Show. The Prince of this world would like to lie to us. “I know you better than you know yourself. I was there when you were born, when you took your first step; for the episode where you lost your first tooth. . . You can’t leave. . . . You belong here . . . with me.” And so it is. Our world is so ordered that it makes it extremely difficult to change, to move into a new realm. And Satan would like nothing more than to keep us in his world.
In what ways do you experience the two realities: our world and God's world?

Running, Pulling, Reaching

2009-02-16T07:58:00.004-04:00

In Sailing terminology, there are different types of sailing based upon the direction of the wind versus the direction of the ship. If you are sailing with the wind it is called running. Running is fast sailing. You move quickly. If you are sailing against the wind it is called pulling. In this case, the wind is physically pulling the boat forward. It's harder and slower sailing when you're sailing against the wind. If you are sailing across the wind it is called reaching. Reaching is actually the fastest and safest type of sailing.

I've picked up these terms as an analogy for how we move in our Christian lives in according to the Holy Spirit. There are times that we act and move with the Spirit. We're running; things happen quickly. Times are exciting. There are times that we act and move against the Spirit. The Spirit has to pull us along. We kick and scream; cry and complain as we're moved long. Then there are times that we are stretched by the Spirit. When we're reaching, we grow in ways we've never experienced.

Where are you in accordance to moving with the Spirit? Are you stalled? Still at the dock? Are you running, pulling, or reaching? When have you especially felt the Spirit's movements in your life?

Direction

2009-02-13T08:12:00.006-04:00

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'
Again Jesus said, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.'
The third time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.'
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!'" (John 21:15-19).

There are some moments in life that cause us to pause. We reflect on our direction and current circumstances. "We've decided to go in a different direction." "It's a boy." "It's cancer." "I don't love you any more." "We're moving."

Some are good, positive events. Others are devastating. But they cause us to consider where we're heading.

Peter had such a moment in his encounter with Jesus recorded in John 21. Not long after Peter's complete denial of Jesus, he is confronted by Jesus. Jesus recalls him to fellowship. Jesus recalls him to ministry. Jesus recalls him to life.

In the words of Gordon MacDonald, “No one, having heard Him [Jesus], could remain spiritually motionless for long. Either people moved closer to Him, could remain spiritually motionless for long. Either people moved closer to Him, or they moved farther away. Whatever the direction, there was always movement. Our Lord was not an entertainer. He was an agitator of the soul, provoking people to think mid-course correction in life” (Gordon MacDonald, Mid-Course Correction.)

What experiences or events in your life have caused you to reconsider your direction? What were the results? What has helped you in the process?

Improvisation

2009-02-11T08:35:00.004-04:00

"The expedition's main object, explained in the fund-raising brochure, was 'to cross the Antarctic from sea to sea, securing for the British flag the honor of being the first carried across the South Polar Continent.' That, in a patriotic nutshell, was the plan. That was what was supposed to happen. Many of the details of how the expedition would be carried out were unspecified. Like many explorers of his day, Shackleton was a great believer in improvisation: he would figure things out as the need arose. As long as he was well equipped and had a good crew, he was confident in his ability to pull off his plan" (Jennifer Armstrong, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World).

We can't account for all contingencies. Even if we're well prepared, things will come up in life which we could not have anticipated. Sometimes we are blindsided by life. Even when we think we are following God closely, sometimes especially when we are following God closely, something can happen that will shake our faith. How do we respond? How do we take stock? How do we continue to walk by faith?

As we said on Sunday, Dead reckoning:
•Becomes necessary when we leave the harbor.
•Is performed when there is no land in sight.
•Is making the necessary adjustments to arrive at the intended destination.

How are you at improvisation? What skills, beliefs do you need to be prepared for an unpredictable future? How can we, as a church help?

Dead Reckoning

2009-02-09T11:07:00.005-04:00

“An unfortunate combination of words. But dead is thought to have come from ‘de’ed,’ a contraction of deduced. For this is deduced reckoning—you deduce your new position from a previous fix by using measurements of speed, time, and distance. It is navigation without landmarks.” (David Seidman, The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing).

So, dead reckoning is figuring out where we are and where we are heading when our landmarks aren't in sight. Listen to Captain Worsely's words about their ocean crossing from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island in the lifeboat, the James Caird.

“Navigation is an art, but words fail to give my efforts a correct name. Dead reckoning or DR—the seaman’s calculation of courses and distance—had become a merry jest of guesswork. . . . The procedure was: I peered out from our burrow—precious sextant cuddled under my chest to prevent seas falling on it. Sir Ernest stood by under the canvas with chronometer pencil and book. I shouted ‘Stand by,’ and knelt on the thwart—two men holding me up on either side. I brought the sun down to where the horizon ought to be and as the boat leaped frantically upward on the crest of a wave, snapped a good guess at the altitude and yelled, ‘Stop,’ Sir Ernest took the time, and I worked out the result. . . My navigation books had to be half opened page by page till the right one was reached, then opened carefully to prevent utter destruction.” (from Captain Worsley’s journal quoted in Caroline Alexander, The Endurance).

In your walk of faith, what keeps you on track? How do you know when you're off course? Who helps you get back on track?

Shackleton's Crossing

2009-02-06T09:35:00.006-04:00

Once Shackleton made the hazardous crossing from Elephant Island to the inhabited South Georgia Island, they still had to make cross the treacherous terrain to the whaling villages on the other side of the island for rescue. Half of their team were unable to cross. The ocean voyage had been two difficult for them. Shackleton knew that they couldn't stay where they were. They needed to press on for themselves, but also for the rest of the crew left on Elephant Island.

The crossing was an incredible 26 miles over uncharted territory of ice flows, mountains, and uncertain paths. Three men made the journey. However, read one account from their journals.

As they slogged their way through the snow, a strange feeling began to grow on each of the men. The three discovered long afterward that they all had the feeling that there was a fourth. "Even now I again find myself counting our party—Shackleton, Crean, and I and—who was the other?" Worsley wrote later. “Of course, there were only three, but it is strange that in mentally reviewing the crossing we should always think of a forth, and then correct ourselves.” (Jennifer Armstrong, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and Endurance).

What is your reaction to Worsley's account? When have you been aware of the presence of God? How did he make that presence known to you?

Jesus is With Us

2009-02-04T09:20:00.003-04:00

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41).

We need to remember that in the midst of our storms Jesus is with us. He hasn't abandoned us. He hasn't forgotten us. He goes with us through the storms. Sometimes the storms are the result of sin; ours or others. Sometimes the storms are the result of evil; Satan tempting us. Sometimes the storms are sent to strengthen us; God using our situations to help us grow and draw us closer to Him. We can't know the cause in the midst of the storm, or sometimes even afterwards. However, we need to remember that Jesus is by our side.

Second, he cares. God is not indifferent to our circumstances. God is good. God is love and he loves us. He is not capricious. He does not delight in our hurt or pain. No, God wants what is best for us. It is certainly difficult to see that in the midst of a storm, but God is for us.

Finally, Jesus calms our storms. He doesn't always calm them the way we would like or within our time frame, but he does restore peace to our lives.

How have you seen Jesus walk with you through the storm (usually we can only see after the fact)? How has he demonstrated his care for you? How has he restored peace?

Facing the Storms

2009-02-02T11:46:00.003-04:00

Last week we focused on detaching from the things that keep us from Jesus. This week we focused on fixing our eyes on Jesus. In the midst of the storms of life, we came become distracted by the wind and waves around us. We get caught up in what is happening that we forget who we're with.

As I said yesterday, we all face storms. Some of those storms are storms of identity: who am I? What am I doing? What should I be doing? Does what I'm doing really matter? Some of those storms are storms of relationships: Am I really loved? Do I love others? Will others love me if they knew the "real" me? Some of those storms are storms of circumstance: Why is my health failing? Will I lose my job? Will I find another job?

What storms of life have you faced? Have they helped you to grow or did they cause setbacks? How might you have faced them differently? Are you facing any storms currently.

2009-01-30T08:06:00.003-04:00

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

We end this week where we began. The passage from Hebrews details how we need to remove obstacles that keep us from following Jesus. Some of those obstacles are obviously harmful. Others, however, are not so clear. The author focuses on two areas:

Let us throw off: (1) Everything that hinders and (2) The sin that so easily entangles.

"The sin that so easily entangles" is part of the obviously harmful. However, the "Everything that hinders" can be negative, but not necessarily so. There can be good things that we need to give up in order to follow Jesus.

Finally, the author of Hebrews admonishes us to "Fix our eyes on Jesus." If we maintain a proper focus, it makes following so much easier.

How do you stay focused on Jesus? What potentially blocks your view?

Shackleton's Sacrifice

2009-01-28T09:30:00.003-04:00

Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the antarctic took a turn for the worse when his ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the ice. As the saying went, "What the ice gets, the ice keeps." The party knew that their ship was doomed and they needed to abandon ship. They removed the lifeboats and supplies they would need. They would need to drag these lifeboats over several miles of ice to reach open water.

“The planned march required the men to drag with them basic supplies as well as two of the three lifeboats. [They eventually sent a party back for the third.] Every hand had been issued new winter gear and a pound of tobacco. Beyond this, each was limited to two pounds of person possessions. A few exceptions were made. Shackleton allowed Hussey to take his banjo, on the premise that it would supply the men with vital mental tonic.”
“By way of example, before the assembled men, Shackleton discarded a handful of gold sovereigns and his gold watch on the ice, followed by his silver brushes and dressing cases. He then took the Bible that had been presented to the ship before departure by Queen Alexander. Ripping out the flyleaf and a few other pages, he lay the Bible on the ice. The pages retained were those of the Twenty-third Psalm and these verses from Job:
Out of whose womb came the ice?
And the hoary frost of Heaven, who hath gendered it?
The waters are hid as with a stone
And the face of the deep is frozen.”
- Caroline Alexander, The Endurance.

If your house was on fire and you had only moments to choose, what would you save? What has special value in your life?

Weighing Anchor

2009-01-26T12:33:00.003-04:00

There comes a time when we cast off all lines and remove the anchor from the water. It's time for us to set sail. An anchor can be a good and useful thing. However, you don't typically sail while dragging the anchor.

The author of Hebrews shares a similar idea with a race as the analogy. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

We need to release in order to move on. What is it that you need to let go of in order to move on? What are you holding onto? What has a hold on you? How can you find release?

Our Charts: Scripture

2009-01-23T09:52:00.003-04:00

Just as sailors consult their charts before they head out on the water and even as they're on their journey, so we also have charts to consult. Scripture provides a guide for us as we engage the world. It is easy to get caught up in the way we think the world works. It is easy to fool ourselves into the best ways to get ahead. However, the Bible provides us with an alternative, even contrarian view, of how the world works.

We don't always see God in action all around us. But Scripture confirms that he is. We don't always see him in our own lives. But the Bible emphasizes that he cares for us.

The Bible also sets our mission: we're on a rescue operation. Jesus came in order to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). We take up Jesus' mission as the church. We become his hands and feet, arms and legs, mouth and ears as we take the Gospel to the world.

The Bible details how we engage the enemy: we wage war not as the world does (2 Cor. 10:3). Our enemies are not flesh and blood. We don't eliminate those who might oppose us. We're told to pray for those who persecute us. We're admonished to serve those who would take advantage of us. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

What else does the Bible teach us about our way on the journey?

Shackleton's

2009-01-21T11:03:00.007-04:00

Sir Ernest Shackleton had escaped the dangers of the open water and ice flows to land on Elephant Island. However, Elephant Island was not on the typical routes of the whaling ships. They did not know if they would be discovered there. They did not know if rescue would come.

"It was perhaps no coincidence that Shackleton chose the following day, April 20, to gather his company to make a momentous announcement: A party of men under his command would shortly set out in the James Caird and make for the whaling stations of South Georgia. The stupendous difficulties of this journey required no elaboration to the men who had just arrived on Elephant Island. The island of South Georgia was 800 miles away—more than ten times the distance they had just traveled."

"To reach it, a twenty-two-and-a-half-foot long open boat would have to cross the most formidable ocean on the planet, in the winter. They could expect winds up to 80 miles an hour, and heaving waves—the notorious Cape Horn Rollers—measuring from trough to crest as much as sixty feet in height; if unlucky, they would encounter worse. They would be navigating towards a small island, with no points of land in between, using a sextant and chronometer—under brooding skies that might not permit a single navigational sighting. The task was not merely formidable; it was, as every sailing man of the company knew, impossible."
- Caroline Alexander, The Endurance.

They were physically safe where they were. They had food. It wasn't particularly good or nourishing, but they wouldn't starve. They needed to risk their lives if they were to be truly rescued.

How does God call us to risk our lives in order to be truly saved?

Reading Your Charts

2009-01-18T21:58:00.005-04:00

A ship is safe in the harbor. But a ship is not made to stay in the harbor. A ship is made for the open water. Being in the open water can be dangerous. Being in the open water can be exciting. Being in the open water can be unnerving.

It helps to have a map, a chart. It helps to have someone who has gone before and marked out the way. It helps to have someone who knows where the dangers are and has set down warnings. It helps to have someone who knows the better ways and marked the paths that are beneficial.

A nautical chart does those things. It marks out dangerous areas. It marks safe passage ways. It is filled out by those who have traveled the ways before and communicate their knowledge to others.

When have you benefited from the use of a map? When have you suffered because you didn't consult one?