by Sandy Moore
Years ago when good friends asked my husband and me to join them on their 32-foot mini-yacht, I was ready for the adventure. I anticipated a peaceful and calm, lazy-day jaunt across a serene and beautiful Minnesota lake. What we signed up for, however, was a week-long excursion on the great inland sea, Lake Superior. This same lake had just swallowed the mammoth ore ship, the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Sailing for a couple of novices became a training ground for among many things:
- patience…waiting for the wind;
- discernment…knowing how to set the sails to maximize the power of the wind when it swept in;
- trust…learning to rely on the compass as it was set to guide us across the massive body of water; and
- safety…finding a harbor in which to anchor when storms rushed in unexpectedly.
I found, though, that amidst all that sailing encompassed, my favorite part of the Lake Superior experience were those times when the lake was relatively calm, barely a ripple in the surface. We did not move quickly, but slowly and consistently “tacked” back and forth across the water getting from one point to another. Peaceful would describe those moments; the boat quietly skimming the water, the flap of the sails, the birds overhead. All was well with my soul.
Interestingly, as our voyage continued, we noted that smooth sailing sometimes preceded a major storm and oftentimes the tranquil waters returned immediately followed the thunderstorm. Life is like that . . . we know there will be storms, a given in the world in which we live. But we need to remember that God’s promised peace will permeate our spirits and we will survive the storms. His peace is an inner tranquility and an anchor of the soul no matter what our circumstances.
Our purpose at SonScape Retreats is to provide a peaceful, restful space for those who have been called out to serve in professional ministry settings. Many times folks come because of the storms they have recently come through or are in the midst of weathering; or they come to buoy up to be ready for the upcoming storms they know are on the horizon. It’s then while on the mountaintop in the still and quiet of sabbath that Jesus utters these words:
“Come to me. Get away with me . . . walk with me . . . learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)