Hoisting My Sails

It's Monday...but it's a new day. New possibilities, new mercies from God. The church that my family planted 3 years ago, One Life Church, had its last public service yesterday. I really need a conversation with God right now. I'm trusting my future to him, but I need a word of encouragment and guidance. Whatever is going on in your life, I'm sure you could use some of that, too! So let's step in on an intriguing conversation that Jesus had that's recorded in John 3:1-21. Lord, let us hear this conversation as if you spoke it directly to us.

What are you hearing? This one's definitely worth a second read. Here's what I hear today...

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (v. 8)

There's a lot said here about spiritual rebirth. And some of how it works and why some people experience it and others don't is cloaked in mystery, as we should expect. But for those who have walked out of the darkness and into the light, there's a whole new way that we approach life.

If I can borrow some nautical imagery, by nature most of us get into our boat and start rowing. Some of us row harder than others, but to some degree we lean in and dig at the water. Some of us have a destination in mind and we row as hard as we can to get there. Others of us aren't really sure where we're rowing to, but we just know that we need to be rowing somewhere. So maybe we just row around in circles. And when the wind blows against us, we row harder. It gets really tiring and our muscles ache but we row and row and row.

But God seems to have something different in mind about the life he has given us to live. When we put our faith in Jesus and commit our lives to him in baptism, that is when God tells us the secret to life. He whispers to our hearts that it's time to put away our oars and hoist our sail. He urges us to open that sail and let it billow up with the wind of Holy Spirit. And that's when we say, “Okay, God, from now on I’m not steering this ship. You are. I want my life to go where you want. Move me in the direction of your ultimate plan.” And off we sail. And the rest of life is an adventure of sailing with the Holy Spirit, letting him whisk us along wherever he wants to take us.

That’s a little scary. Some of us got baptized, hoisting the sail, and then we tied the boat up to the dock. The Holy Spirit is trying to move us, but we’ve got the ropes attached and no boy scout could tie better knots! Or we’ve still got our oars in the water, trying to make the boat go where we want. We’re heading for an alluring port and his wind is blowing the opposite direction and we’re not getting anywhere. Life is a struggle.

I need this reminder from Jesus that life will go best when I hoist the sails, turn over control, and let him lead me where he wants to take me. That doesn't mean there won't be some work involved on my part, even some hard work. But it's so much easier when I'm cooperating with the Spirit's wind, leaning with it, utilizing his power, than when I'm rowing against it. And I will always end up in the right place.

Jesus, lead on. Holy Spirit, fill my sails and propel me forward in the direction that you want to take me. I don't know where you're taking me, but I'm going to enjoy the ride. Amen.

Please don't keep these blessings to yourself. Share this post with your Facebook friends (click the Facebook "f" button below). And let us hear what God has spoken to your heart about your life as you read this text. Sign in above (top right corner) and then comment below. God's peace.