Headed Back From The Keys

Yesterday we began our route headed back north after our sailing trip to the Florida Keys. This morning we are in Miami Beach, where the wind still makes it questionable as to whether or not we will be able to continue onward or have to wait another day until the seas settle down a little.

We read Acts 27 together yesterday, where the Bible tells about Paul's journey aboard a sailboat. The story ended with a great storm that caused the boat to break up so that the men all floated ashore on Malta, clinging to planks from the boat that broke apart. The whole island was converted after Paul got there - a reminder that divine ministry can come from any situation, even a shipwrecked life.

I've taught several times about how sailing is a metaphor for the grace walk. On land, we seem to have control of our own forward motion, which I've suggested depicts a legaslitic lifestyle of self-sufficiency. Once we abandon ourselves to the wind (the Spirit) and the water (The Word/Jesus), we have no illusions that we are in control anymore.

Safe sailing necessitates that you go forward as the wind leads you. To fail to cooperate with the wind can bring dire consequences - not because the wind is punishing you, but because you are experiencing the natural result of independence and pride. Happy sailing involves watching the wind and water and cooperating with what they are doing.

That's what we plan to do today. Will we go? Will we stay? We don't know yet, but we are willing to do either one, once the wind lets us know. So it is to be in life if we want a successful and enjoyable journey.