May 15, 2013 | Duty

“Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.”

(Luke 12:36-38 NASB)

I was in the midst of these thoughts and prayers when I took a break to make a fresh pot of tea. While the tea brewed, one of my current books caught my eye (a regular occurrence!) and the portion I read revealed an amazing example of exactly what Jesus is describing. Nathaniel Philbrick’s remarkable history Sea of Glory describes the triumphs and failures of the 1838-1842 United States Exploring Expedition. If you are intrigued by bold adventure, leadership, politics, or international law, this is a great book for you. In the passage I read, Philbrick describes a foray made by one of the Expedition’s smallest ships, the tinyFlying Fish. The Flying Fish, commanded by Lt. William Walker and sailed by 14 hands, ventured south to discern whether an Antarctic continent truly exists. Listen to these paragraphs, describing their conditions:

“Huge seas broke across the deck, crushing their two boats and ripping the binnacle, the wooden box containing the compass, off its fastenings and into the ocean. The companion-slide was then torn away by a mountainous wave that flooded the cabin and knocked both the helmsman and lookout off their feet. When a whale rubbed up against the beleaguered schooner and an albatross flapped its wings in the face of one of the men, Walker began to wonder if all nature had somehow conspired against them.

“Three days later, they discovered a leak in the bread-room, requiring that they shift all stores aft. Most of the next day was spent at the pumps. The schooner was now leaking at every seam. Their clothes and bedding were completely soaked. Dispensing with their worthless exploring boots, they wrapped their feet in blankets in an attempt to stay warm. Then it began to sleet, covering the schooner’s deck, as well as the jackets of the men, in a glistening shell of ice. When the jib split, the icy conditions made it impossible to take in the sail, which hung over the side by a single hank on the forestay. Five of the men were now so debilitated by the cold that they could barely stand. Yet all continued to do their duty without complaint.” (Philbrick 97)

What a testimony! Suddenly, my struggles – my bumps and bruises, my anxieties and obstructions – are doused with a spray of cold salt-water perspective.  Not that our problems aren’t real. They are, and God cares about each one. What Lieutenant Walker teaches me is that I can continue to do my duty without complaint. When it seems that “all nature has conspired against” me, I can rely on the God over nature to strengthen my hands for duty. I can indeed sail on.

By the way, the Flying Fish came closer to Antarctic land than anyone ever had before. That’s why the eastern tip of Thurston Island is today called Flying Fish Cape and the interior upthrusts of that land are known as the Walker Mountains. Such tributes to their navigation and sailing prowess are fitting, but looking at Luke’s text I think that kind of applause pales in comparison to what God has in store for you.

Read it again. When we stay the course as faithful servants, the Master of all – God Himself – declares His intent to serve us! He twice calls us blessed! He comforts and cares for us. Now and hereafter, the scriptures promise that those who overcome by God’s grace get to bask in God’s glory. So please friends, sail on.

Lyricists

Recently I asked for some rewrites of Journey’s famous chorus “Don’t Stop Believing.” As a memory tool for Jesus’ call in Luke 18:1, I was looking for something more definitive to hold on to. [Luke 18:1: Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.] “Feeling” in the original song rhymes well but is poor source for life anchoring. Here are some of the responses for “Don’t stop believing…

…God’s truths are all healing.”

…trust Him or you’ll be reeling.”

…in Christ there’s no ceiling.”

…best place to be is kneeling.”

…God’s hand isn’t yielding.”

…God’s truth is appealing.”

Nicely done!

God bless,

Wayne