Paul walked with his bags up the gang plank onto the ship but the chorus of sea birds drowned out the sound of his steps. The ship smelt of salt-soaked hemp ropes and tar. Beyond the ship, the green sea twinkled but Paul never noticed; he was thinking of the people he knew and those he had never met waiting at his destination. Most of Paul’s missionary life, he was on a boat somewhere on the Mediterranean. These sea journeys were not the only voyages he took, for He took an internal voyage as well. Our live journey is a voyage, and therefore, we must know our destination and negotiate the storms that come the rocks of intimation and even the shallow waters of small vision and low goals. This is true of individuals and of churches. Every person is born for a purpose and our voyage is to fulfil our “pre-destiny.”

Hundreds of years ago, men were press ganged into the Navy to fight for King and country.  They were captured as they walked home from the pub and they woke up below decks out at sea. Our Captain only captures our hearts, gives us a vision of reality and we follow Him. But one thing is still true; we are called to a battle campaign, not to a jazz cruise. Jesus looks for men and women who will enlist for life. We can’t be a soldier for the summer and there are no reserves. Our voyage begins when we discover who God has made us and we decide to become it; when we understand the reason for our birth and we pursue it in spite of all opposition. Every job and ministry is about recreating the world God that intended. He assigns us to fix something that has fallen in people, education, business, church or society. The way we do church is changed for the moment and parts of its expression, will never be the same again. But may be that’s the point. Maybe we weren’t meant to do it down there on a Sunday. Maybe we were just meant to be the Church in our closet and in our street, in our place of ministry at work. Our new goal is not to get the Church back to normal but to take life to the city. May be our lockdown learning is that our problem is not that don’t have enough, the problem is that we haven’t given what we have. Could it be that we don’t need more buildings, more power, or more love, just more courage and more involvement with the people. There is a greater anointing but maybe it is in the field. Jesus seemed to think that the 99 in the fold didn’t need as much attention as the one that was still lost in the field.

Near the end of his life Paul said   “… the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:6-7).  The word “course” was used in regard to plotting the course of a ship. Non of it was completed tied to the wharf but driven by storms to find the sick and the needy.

Friend, if it seems there is are many hindrances right now to the future we planned, there is no hindrance to the Church, God has planned, Jesus guarantees victory in the conflict.  The apostle Paul said “…I kept the faith”.  Keeping the faith is not just “remaining a believer” till Jesus takes you home; but doing our part to make the earth a home for Jesus now. That won’t happen unless we all fight the good fight and finish our course.  Lets march forth into the cursed world to release our Captains “blessings”. Lets not think that the kingdom will come, by filling the Sunday grandstand and cheering on the “full-timers “ or by waving a handkerchief of token appreciation, for those saints that are going into the battel field, but lets join the ranks as well. The Church is not defined by how much life we have inside on a Sunday, but how much life we release outside in the city each week.