TITLE: Life's Wild Expedition By Lyn Perry 03/09/07 |
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So I think this incarnation works better. What do you think? lgp
Life's Wild Expedition
For the journey we're on, the baggage we hold dear is revealing.
* Sir John Franklin sailed from England in 1845 to find the rumored northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean across the Canadian Arctic. He and 138 officers and men sailed in 2 three-masted vessels equipped with an auxiliary steam engine and a 12-day supply of coal for the entire projected 2 to 3 year voyage. Instead of additional coal, each ship boasted a 1,200 volume library, a hand organ, china place settings, cut-glass wine goblets and sterling silverware. The expedition carried no special clothing for the arctic. They were last seen alive entering the Lancaster Sound.
For the next 20 years, search parties found the remains of the Franklin expedition scattered across the frozen sea. Many, on their way for help, died far from the broken ship, stuck in the ice pack. They were found carrying the supplies they deemed important. One search party, for example, discovered among a clump of frozen bodies, some guns, chocolate, tea and a great deal of sterling silver flatware. This was the Franklin expedition of 1845.
(* Note: I first read about this tragedy in Teaching a Stone to Talk, a collection of narrative essays by Annie Dillard, and have adapted her account here.)
It strikes me that we embark on similar journeys in life. We have a vague notion of where we're going, but aren't sure how to get there or what it will take to actually finish the adventure successfully. We're often loaded down with supplies that are cumbersome, even useless, and may in fact be liabilities.
Jesus never intended this to be the case. He has a clear goal in mind for each of our lives and has a plan that, if followed, will take us to where we are supposed to be. And along the way we will find satisfaction, refreshment, joy and purpose. In a word, success.
So what is the goal that Christ has in mind? What's the plan that we should follow if we don't want to end up "frozen in the pack" with only a bit of silver to show for our efforts?
An important text of scripture to meditate on is Galatians 5.22,23.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." ~ The Apostle Paul
This passage speaks of the character that the Holy Spirit is developing in each of us. And it is the character of Jesus that Paul is describing. A quick preview, then, of our destination: What makes for a successful life expedition is wrapped up in the person of Jesus Christ.
Since he created us, doesn't it follow that he knows what it takes for us, the creation, to find fulfillment? Doesn't it follow that he is himself the answer to our most basic needs? The clear goal for our lives and the route that will take us across our own "northwest passage" is Jesus himself.
We're each of us on a wild expedition called life. Have you evaluated your journey so far? Are you burdened down with supplies that you don't really need? What could you throw overboard? Since we can't take it with us anyhow, let's dump the flatware here and now.
Copyright 2000, 2007 Lyn Perry
Thought Renewal http://thoughtrenewal.blogspot.com
Permission granted to reprint with acknowledgment of copyright.
UPDATE: Thanks Whitnie for the critique. In response to some of your suggestions, I reworked the piece and have posted it here:
http://thoughtrenewal.blogspot.com/2007/03/lifes-wild-expedition.html
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