Would you invest with this bunch? Many of the writers of a much earlier age dealt with the human dilemma in ways that seem past the expertise of us moderns. In our time people have lost the desire and courage to launch into the deep, but choose to sit on the bank and catch whatever happens come along. It seems to me Christ had His disciples get in a little deeper, getting farther from the safety of shoreline.
Take a thoughtful look at this well-worn jewel from the era of exquisite literature and write out your thoughts on it. Hidden in this piece is biblical truth that just may get you back to sailing a true course for Jesus.
“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”
William Shakespeare
The point here has several twists.
Number one is simple, to rise in life we must be willing to risk something to gain more. Seed left in the barn at planting time will not have produced come harvest. Simple? I know, but to be aware that great opportunities are usually dressed in disguise may give you the edge you need to seize the day, the moment and ride the opportunity to a higher level of living.
Number two is the awakening to the fact that “on such a sea are we now afloat” because we all at some point missed an opportunity. But we are not to despair, for the tide of life, like the tides of the great seas, ebbs and flows. We do not cast off hope because we are being driven by an ebbing tide. Nor should we lay back and become indolent because we are at the crest of a rising tide. On which ever tide we are in, it will change and with the change different chances will present themselves. Here is the kicker; the old truth is still active, “He who hesitates is lost.” The rub is also “Haste makes waste.” The insane predicament is figuring out which to implement for this time. Seize the day or use patience?
Number three is learning to accept that “the current” does not always serve up opportunities in the garment we expect. Israel spent several thousand years bogged down in shallows and miseries awaiting Messiah. When Messiah came, they, for the most part missed who he is. He demonstrated in many ways just who he is, yet they missed the signals and to this day spend their days in the shallows and in miseries as far from God as in the bonds of Babylonian captivity.
Messiah did not come in the regalia of a king, but in the rags of a servant. Be careful that you do not make the same mistake, as opportunities are often missed due to their being dressed in work clothes.
While Jesus Christ did not meet the expectations of the Jews in His first coming, due to their mistaken perception of what Messiah would do, they missed the blessings associated with God’s plan of personal redemption purchased at Calvary.
As we are sailing the sea of life or pining away the hours in a bogged down existence, Christ is constantly sending a wave of blessing our way, some opportunity that if seized would get us going again for Christ. But, “no, this one isn’t what I want, it just isn’t me and after all people haven’t treated me very well along the way, so I have trouble believing Jesus even cares about me, let alone will do anything for me.”
Years ago I saw a cartoon showing an old time war zone. A tent was pitched and the bubble above the tent showed what the General was saying to a Major, “I don’t care, I do not have time to talk to some weapons salesman.” Outside the tent was the salesman standing alongside his new invention, the world’s first Gatling Gun! Be alert.
The entire human race is lost and drifting on the Sea of Adam’s Sin, and thus hopelessly lost without a spiritual compass. But Christ comes walking on the water offering deliverance to all who will accept His offer. To them He seems to be some kind of charlatan, certainly God doesn’t look or act anything like Jesus.
The fact is Jesus Christ is still the hope of the world! He still makes this offer in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
I hope you make your calling and election sure by accepting His invitation.
Copyright © 2014 Larry Lilly
For IT services it's hard to do better than clicking Oral Deckard.
Take a thoughtful look at this well-worn jewel from the era of exquisite literature and write out your thoughts on it. Hidden in this piece is biblical truth that just may get you back to sailing a true course for Jesus.
“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”
William Shakespeare
The point here has several twists.
Number one is simple, to rise in life we must be willing to risk something to gain more. Seed left in the barn at planting time will not have produced come harvest. Simple? I know, but to be aware that great opportunities are usually dressed in disguise may give you the edge you need to seize the day, the moment and ride the opportunity to a higher level of living.
Number two is the awakening to the fact that “on such a sea are we now afloat” because we all at some point missed an opportunity. But we are not to despair, for the tide of life, like the tides of the great seas, ebbs and flows. We do not cast off hope because we are being driven by an ebbing tide. Nor should we lay back and become indolent because we are at the crest of a rising tide. On which ever tide we are in, it will change and with the change different chances will present themselves. Here is the kicker; the old truth is still active, “He who hesitates is lost.” The rub is also “Haste makes waste.” The insane predicament is figuring out which to implement for this time. Seize the day or use patience?
Number three is learning to accept that “the current” does not always serve up opportunities in the garment we expect. Israel spent several thousand years bogged down in shallows and miseries awaiting Messiah. When Messiah came, they, for the most part missed who he is. He demonstrated in many ways just who he is, yet they missed the signals and to this day spend their days in the shallows and in miseries as far from God as in the bonds of Babylonian captivity.
Messiah did not come in the regalia of a king, but in the rags of a servant. Be careful that you do not make the same mistake, as opportunities are often missed due to their being dressed in work clothes.
While Jesus Christ did not meet the expectations of the Jews in His first coming, due to their mistaken perception of what Messiah would do, they missed the blessings associated with God’s plan of personal redemption purchased at Calvary.
As we are sailing the sea of life or pining away the hours in a bogged down existence, Christ is constantly sending a wave of blessing our way, some opportunity that if seized would get us going again for Christ. But, “no, this one isn’t what I want, it just isn’t me and after all people haven’t treated me very well along the way, so I have trouble believing Jesus even cares about me, let alone will do anything for me.”
Years ago I saw a cartoon showing an old time war zone. A tent was pitched and the bubble above the tent showed what the General was saying to a Major, “I don’t care, I do not have time to talk to some weapons salesman.” Outside the tent was the salesman standing alongside his new invention, the world’s first Gatling Gun! Be alert.
The entire human race is lost and drifting on the Sea of Adam’s Sin, and thus hopelessly lost without a spiritual compass. But Christ comes walking on the water offering deliverance to all who will accept His offer. To them He seems to be some kind of charlatan, certainly God doesn’t look or act anything like Jesus.
The fact is Jesus Christ is still the hope of the world! He still makes this offer in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
I hope you make your calling and election sure by accepting His invitation.
Copyright © 2014 Larry Lilly
For IT services it's hard to do better than clicking Oral Deckard.
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