The Moored Queen and the Call of the Open Sea

As I awoke, the view before my eyes was utterly breathtaking. I had taken a brief nap at my daughter Denice’s condo in Long Beach. It was a darling place on the ninth floor of an old but beautiful historical building. It looked like something out of one of the Batman movies, complete with gargoyles.

Stretching out before me were the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean with the Queen Mary, sitting majestically in the lower corner of my picture-perfect view. As I lay there, still waking from my nap, I continued to take in the amazing beauty of my view. It was like trying to catch your breath after a long run—each breath deeper in an effort to take in as much oxygen as possible, yet feeling as if you cannot get quite enough.

It felt the same as I lay there, my arm under my head in an effort to find the perfect position for observing this gorgeous scene. A sailboat suddenly began to trek across my painting. It was almost surreal—the stillness of the blue ocean with its waves, looking simply like white lines brushed ever so lightly upon the canvas of this masterpiece, and the Queen Mary’s stately appearance, with her dark hull and red smokestacks, all interrupted now by this sojourner sailing across the entire picture. “Wow!” I thought to myself, “what a beautiful scene to wake to each morning.”

Wanting to enjoy the beauty of the scene before my eyes, I lay there, looking at the beautiful picture painted masterfully on my window of the world. I began taking in the individual parts. Going to the window, I looked at the Queen Mary. She was an elegant vessel with a grand history. She had taken passengers to wonderful and interesting destinations. She was the grandest vessel of her day. During World War II, she took on the role of heroine as she daringly transported wounded soldiers to safety and care. Hers was a storied and grand past. But as I looked at her, there was a note of sadness about the scene.

This regal, historical lady of the sea moored at dock, but not for a brief stay before once again sailing out to cross the great oceans of the world and visit exotic places on the globe. No, now she is a four-star hotel. Though created as a great ocean liner and designed to sail the oceans of the world, she now sits quietly moored, never to sail again. Ships are not designed and built to sit at dock and serve as hotels. They are made to face the challenges of the ocean, to chart a course across the giant bodies of water that cover the earth, cutting a path through their endless waves. They are made for the open sea—that is their home, not some permanent mooring where all that remains is the memory of a former glory. Granted, she is safer and much more secure at dock, but that was not her intended purpose, not her destiny.

How many people are like the Queen Mary—created for so much more but choosing rather to stay safely and securely moored to the dock? They were created and destined to do more, much more with their lives, but for security’s sake, they chose mooring rather than sailing. They chose the dock rather than the sea. They chose safety rather than destiny. Their lives are predictable, comfortable, and safe. But there is an empty place in the depth of their hearts that no amount of security or comfort can satisfy. A sense that they were meant for something bigger, something grander. And it will never be discovered, sitting moored at dock. I believe far too many have made this choice in life.

Beware of Settling for the Good

As a young man in college, I remember a discussion in a class once that has stayed with me throughout life. The professor asked us, “What is the greatest enemy of God’s destiny for your life?” Being that we were seniors, filled now with all the wisdom and knowledge of the ages, we each began giving our deep theological and philosophical answers, some approaching a doctoral dissertation. After some time, he interrupted our brilliant discussion, much to the relief of those having to endure its torture. “The greatest enemy of God’s best is always the good,” he said in a quiet, confident voice. Some looked puzzled while others took on a facade of “Absolutely, that is what I was trying to say.” We each sat quietly, waiting intently for him to explain.

“That which stands overtly against God’s will for you is obvious and actually easily withstood. While a much more sinister enemy to His plan for your life stealthily approaches and works its tentacles around you, completely unnoticed and actually welcomed. It is far more deceptive. That enemy is settling for what is good, comfortable, safe, and secure, without any cost or challenge. It is what our flesh longs for and it is never overtly evil or bad. So what could be wrong with it? Simply this: it steals from you God’s destiny for your life, and steals from God your obedience and the fruit created by that obedience. So I warn you all, beware of selling out the best for the good.”

It was one of those times when what you hear seems so powerful, it’s as if it literally hit you in the mid-section. I sat quietly, actually stunned by what I had just heard. I was endeavoring to take it all in and wrap my mind around it. As I went through the rest of the day, I could not get away from his statements to us. I have endeavored to keep that pearl of wisdom as a guard in my life. There have been numerous times when it would warn me of the danger of choosing a certain course. Its challenge to not fear the risks ahead but, rather, to fear more the missing of God’s best has helped me make some pretty scary decisions.

Dreaming Without Compromise

I must admit there are some very enticing reasons for choosing the dock to the open seas. The older I get, safety and security look more and more inviting. But are they really old friends calling me to safer waters or are they actually sirens, trying to woo me into the treacherous waters of deception, trading destiny for security?

I never want to lose the ability to dream, but I refuse to reach for the dream with one hand while reaching for safety with the other. Dreaming then becomes a curse. God said that the young would see visions and the old would dream dreams. If you do not have either, then what is your life?

There is a definite place for security and safety, but it should never be at the expense of God’s destiny—His amazing purpose and plan for your life on earth. When that is the case, you have sold your birthright for a bowl of porridge. What a sad commentary on the life that could have been. If your life presents challenges to your comfort and security, rather than to your faith; if your tomorrows are filled with more of the same predictable life with no need to hold tightly to God; if your life does not require a total dependence on God; if your life is a walk in the park rather than a trek through the jungle, then you, my friend, are moored.

God’s destiny will always challenge us to step out of our comfort zones and go far beyond anything we are capable of; to risk all on something that has no guarantee of success in the natural and is absolutely the wrong logical choice; to throw off the mooring lines and venture into the deep where wonders await.

Choosing Destiny Over Comfort

The Bible is filled with stories of those who accepted such a challenge and set their faces like a flint toward God. In doing so, they put themselves in a place of utter dependence on God alone. The great heroes of history all stand on this common ground. The heroes of life are never made in the comfortable places of life, but in the furnace of challenge and adversity. They choose to throw off the mooring lines, weigh anchor, and set out into the open waters, knowing they will face storms and the possibility of loss. Their choice is not without thought, rather it is with a much deeper searching of the soul—a choice made deep within their heart. They know quite well the possible consequences of their choice but also of refusing to make that choice. They would rather end at the bottom of the ocean than tied to the dock. At least if they go down they do so reaching for God’s best.

Christians today are being taught how to build a more comfortable life, not how to build one filled with the destiny of God. They are being told that their destiny is to be blessed and prosperous and their duty is to be faithful to church services. This is not the message of the Church that gave birth to martyrs, missionaries, and movements. It is the message of sirens wooing the church from the safety of God’s destiny to the treacherous waters of earthly comfort.

I believe a great awakening is going to soon take place within the church of America. And it will not rise from the pulpit but from the pew where God’s great heroes of tomorrow are waiting to be awakened from their slumber. They will suddenly hear a voice calling to them from outside the fortress walls to throw off the mooring lines, venture out into the deep and see the wonders of God.

Listen for His call, because He knows your name and you are a part of His plan.

Steve

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.