Burn the Ships!

I am still chewing on the message from church yesterday morning.

We had a visiting pastor who lives on the island of St. Vincent. He stirred my heart with his broken English as he challenged us to be committed Christians.

He was not an amazing orator.
He was not showy or flashy in any way.
He did not do any demonstrations or use visual aids.

He just challenged us to be committed.

Ouch!

I know lots and lots of folks (including myself sometimes) who would say they are committed people.

Committed to their marriage...
Committed to their family....
Committed to their jobs....

But, to Christ?

Words are cheap. Actions are the real indicator.

-Do we put aside what we want, how we feel, what others' think for the cause of Christ?

-Are we compelled to tell those around us that HE is the only way to Heaven?

-What about when God allows hardship, suffering, pain and disappointment to collide with your plans?

-What about when your schedule is just too full of stuff you have to do to serve, minister, and reach out as He has commanded?

The pastor reminded us of the story of those who came to the New World to explore and inhabit the land. Their fearless leader knew that his men would become tired. He knew loneliness, fear, and the enormity of the task would weigh heavily on them. So he went ahead and made a decision for them. He did what any committed leader would do.

He burned their ships.

There was no turning back.

No plan B.

No safety net.

No running home.

I thought about myself. My life. My commitment to Christ.

I have been in the same place for a long time.

The place called "waiting".

This place is unknown to me. To live here requires faith alone. Most of my questions have long since gone unanswered. Nothing looks familiar. Nothing feels right. If anything, I just feel like I have gotten good at being wrong.

But......there is no other place I supposed to be.

Sure, lots of other places would feel better.

But faith can't grow in that kind of environment. Where everything feels good.

Endurance comes from long periods of waiting.
Faith blooms from the valley of doubt.
Perseverance pushes through when forced to go the whole way...


I've burned my ships.

I don't get where we are. I don't get why we are here. I don't understand why He hasn't acted yet.

But I do know that I am not to move until He moves me.

So....here I'll stay.