Sailing metaphor
As a landlubber, I will admit that I don't know much about sailing. But as I keep listening to Andrew Peterson, I can't help but thinking what an apt metaphor this is for life.
To wit:
This is from his song Steady as She Goes
I see the thunderheads rise
In the northern sky
And my heart is sinking
In the threatening tide
'cause my portside's heavy
with the worries of life
and the worries of dying
on the starboard side
Have I ever felt like that? Nah...surely not!
Listen to his response:
And keep her steady as a river
When the wild wind comes to blow
I've already been delivered
So I'll keep her steady as she goes
I've already been delivered. Already. Not yet. It comes up again. Our salvation, while finished on the cross isn't done yet. A contradiction? Well, it's the reality of God's working in our lives. Do I really understand this? Do I live like I've ALREADY been delivered?
To carry the metaphor a bit further, what do I need to jettison over the side? This summer, I've barely watched TV...and I've been a whole lot happier. I'm journaling more, praying more, and feeling better. That's really stupid if TV is what's been holding me back. (Note, in no way am I talking about Lost. That transcends TV). What else should I jettison? Maybe the notion that I need to have everything I want to be happy. If I could disabuse myself of that notion, I would be much better off. Why can't I look at what I already have and be happy? I have more stuff that most families in the third world do.
Why can't I look at my dumb job and be happy that I have a job? I want something better...that's where my energy goes instead of doing well at the job I have.
I want more out of life...like a family for instance...but why don't I look at the wonderful family I already have? I have such wonderful friends who have far extended the role of friendship into something so special...Not everyone gets to get married at 25 and have 2.5 kids (Statistically speaking, of course) by 30. Maybe I need to wait for something better or I need to listen to how God makes me happy. Letting go of this would really make much happier.
What else should I jettison? Basically, what I am talking about here is the lust for something better...for something more. I'm not happy with peanut butter sandwiches. I want black truffle risotto. I would love to look at what I have and see the blessings that I have. Lord, please open my eyes to that.
This is getting rambling. I have work to do, I really do.
To wit:
This is from his song Steady as She Goes
I see the thunderheads rise
In the northern sky
And my heart is sinking
In the threatening tide
'cause my portside's heavy
with the worries of life
and the worries of dying
on the starboard side
Have I ever felt like that? Nah...surely not!
Listen to his response:
And keep her steady as a river
When the wild wind comes to blow
I've already been delivered
So I'll keep her steady as she goes
I've already been delivered. Already. Not yet. It comes up again. Our salvation, while finished on the cross isn't done yet. A contradiction? Well, it's the reality of God's working in our lives. Do I really understand this? Do I live like I've ALREADY been delivered?
To carry the metaphor a bit further, what do I need to jettison over the side? This summer, I've barely watched TV...and I've been a whole lot happier. I'm journaling more, praying more, and feeling better. That's really stupid if TV is what's been holding me back. (Note, in no way am I talking about Lost. That transcends TV). What else should I jettison? Maybe the notion that I need to have everything I want to be happy. If I could disabuse myself of that notion, I would be much better off. Why can't I look at what I already have and be happy? I have more stuff that most families in the third world do.
Why can't I look at my dumb job and be happy that I have a job? I want something better...that's where my energy goes instead of doing well at the job I have.
I want more out of life...like a family for instance...but why don't I look at the wonderful family I already have? I have such wonderful friends who have far extended the role of friendship into something so special...Not everyone gets to get married at 25 and have 2.5 kids (Statistically speaking, of course) by 30. Maybe I need to wait for something better or I need to listen to how God makes me happy. Letting go of this would really make much happier.
What else should I jettison? Basically, what I am talking about here is the lust for something better...for something more. I'm not happy with peanut butter sandwiches. I want black truffle risotto. I would love to look at what I have and see the blessings that I have. Lord, please open my eyes to that.
This is getting rambling. I have work to do, I really do.
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