Recently, I saw the movie
Master and Commander and was enraptured by
the sailing ships in the movie. I was thrilled to see
how they were made and what they could do. Both the
ships and their commanders seemed made for the high
seas, made for adventure.
The big sailing ships brought my mind back to
II Timothy 3:17. Like the ships in the movie, we have
been fully equipped for every eventuality in life. God's
Word equips, fully equips those who speak for Him. You,
too, may remember II Timothy 3:17.
2 Timothy 3:17:
That the man of God may be perfect (artios),
throughly furnished (exartizo) unto all good
works.
How sad it would be if
those great ships never make it out to sea. How sad
and how purposeless would all the work of the master
shipbuilders have been if the ships never hit the high
seas. How about you and me? How sad, how purposeless
are our lives if we never set sail? If we never apply
this wonderful Word of God and produce the good works
to which we have been called by God's grace. (Ephesians
2:8-10, II Timothy 1:9)
If the wind never catches our sails… If
we never feel the spray of the waves in our faces…
If we never realize the grand adventure for which we
have been made… Sitting in the harbor may be
"safe," but we will never experience the freedom
and fulfillment that is ours in Christ.
There may be many logical reasons for not leaving
our safe harbors. We may fill our days with valid, honorable
activities, but filling our schedules with substitutes
will only keep us from realizing the real adventure
God has set before us.
Some are willing to polish the deck and clean
the rigging and dream of adventure, but they are not
willing to venture out into the deep. Yet it is there,
in the deep waters away from the shore, that our true
sufficiency is revealed. It is there that God's grace
and provision are made manifest. Yes, there may be a
time of preparation and building, but eventually the
day comes when, if any ship is to fulfill its purpose,
it must set sail and hit the high seas.
If you want to see the works of the Lord in your
life, "launch out into the deep." (Luke 5:4)
Don't make excuses! Don't act half-heartedly! Haul in
the anchor. Strike the sails. Ships are built in harbor,
but they are made to sail the seas. Don't get talked
out of the greatest adventures of your life. God's Word
has equipped us, now it's our move.
Daniel 11:32b:
… the people that do know their God shall be
strong, and do exploits.
Applying what we know
is necessary. Use it or lose it! Set sail for the greatest
adventure of your life.
