Scripture:
Acts 15:22 “Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, the leading man among the brethren. (NKJV)
From the Book:
“Lewis and Clark had no lack of candidates for the Voyage of Discovery. According to Stephen Ambrose, a sense of sheer excitement spread through the country west of the Allegheny Mountains when the news of the expedition became known: “What young frontiersman could resist such an opportunity? It was the ultimate adventure.”
Before the two captains met in the Indiana territory, each of them began the interview candidates for the expedition, subject to the approval of the other. At one point Clark wrote Lewis that several “gentleman’s sons” had applied to him. He declined to accept them; they were not prepared for the discipline that the journey would require. Lewis wrote back, “I am well pleased that you have not admitted or encouraged the young gentlemen you mention. We must set our faces against all such applications.”…
The men chosen for the Voyage of Discovery came with a variety of talents and skills, but they had one thing in common: they were ready to follow Lewis Clark into an unexplored wilderness.”
Commentary:
No one ever said the journey would be easy. The thrill and excitement of adventure, then as now, attracts many different individuals. Some of them are prepared, some of them are not prepared, and in all honesty some of them are over prepared. In some cases the over prepared applicant may actually fare worse than the one with no preparation at all. In my opinion, as a guide or leader, nothing is scarier than the person who shows up at your door with a newly minted certificate from a wilderness survival school, a 70 pound backpack filled with ultralight equipment, and a pair of boots that don’t even have a scuff on them yet.
The Kingdom of God can be like that, however we welcome the underprepared, the over prepared, and everyone in between into the kingdom. The difference is, when you are going out to bring others into the kingdom, you must be adequately and completely prepared. This is no place for the well-intentioned new believer. There is an enemy out there that wants you to fail, miserably. He wants you to fail in ways that will embarrass you, discredit your church or sending organization, and generally cast dispersion on all Christians. Sadly, it does not take much for this to happen. One misstep, one word spoken out of turn, one roll of the eyes can be all that it might take to ruin a perfectly good witness.
When you Ride the River, you need to be ready, willing, and able to follow your captains; Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That may sound easy, maybe easier than following Lewis and Clark, but like the Corps of Discovery the river is fraught with danger. In the days to come we will take a closer look at being a member of the Corps, and how, as a member you can stay in step with your captains.
Proceeding on…
2WX
No comments:
Post a Comment