In a Boat Without Oars

 Good Morning Fellow Travellers,

I’d be fooling myself if I said it’s been a stellar week. My sister’s in the hospital, (although I think she’ll be released today or tomorrow),  our best friend in Japan has a grave illness.  To add to that, an old saintly missionary friend just went to glory. Face it, we’re a little homesick.  I often think of the words of my favourite poet, Robert Frost, who said in one of his famous poems, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep …... and miles to go before I sleep.”

As much ‘fun’ as it is to travel, sometimes the thought of our own bed and loved ones around me has certainly been a draw. Someone commented this last week, “I love to hear you complain so creatively.” I thought it fit the ticket pretty well.

But we don’t need to complain.  We’re on this journey just like any of the rest of you. Yes, you say, we’re on a cruise, but it’s still lonely and far from home.  I am thankful that I don’t have to cook and clean, but on this particular line, I think maybe I could do better!!  

However, in my pity party, I came across the following Facebook post and it really spoke to me and the reminder that this ‘trip’ of ours still has several responsibilities to the ministry that we cannot just ignore and satisfy our longings for home.

What do you think??

(source unknown)

“More than two hundred million people from a variety of faiths undertake a pilgrimage each year. For many throughout the ages, a pilgrim’s task has been to journey to a sacred place to receive some kind of blessing. It’s been all about reaching the temple, cathedral, shrine, or mountaintop where a blessing can be received. 

“Many of Britain’s early Celtic Christians, however, saw pilgrimage differently. They set out directionless into the wild, often getting into a boat that had no oars. Fpr them, the pilgrimage was about about trusting God in unfamiliar territory. Any blessing was found, not at the destination but along the journey. 

“Hebrews 11 was an important passage for the Celts. Since living in Christ is about leaving the world’s ways behind and trekking like foreigners to the city of God (vv. 13-16), a pilgrimage echoed their life’s journey. By trusting God to provide along their difficult, untrodden path, the pilgrim grew the kind of faith lived by the heroes of old (vv. 1-12). 

“What a lesson to learn, whether we physically trek or not: for those who have trusted Jesus, life is a pilgrimage to God’s heavenly country, full of dark forests, dead ends, and trials. As we journey through, may we not miss the blessing of experiencing God’s provision along the way.”

(Me again). I must say, God has been encouraging us and giving that extra bit of strength and happiness which I’ll share later. We look forward to the places we know are coming up, where we’ll be able to share both Tony’s discipleship course as well as his preaching.  In a couple of weeks, we’ll also be helping to lead a tour of the Revelation Churches in Turkey. For Tony, this is not unlike throwing gasoline on a flame. We’re both excited!  

Ironically, I’m reading a biography of Bear Grylls at the moment, at the suggestion of my daughter, and the title is, “Never Give Up”. Words to live by.

Yours, 

Marsha