I was reading today in the study our Life Group is doing about Ernest Shackleton. He was a British explorer led the first expedition across Antarctica. Shackleton and his 27 man crew departed for Antarctica in December of 1914. The recruitment ad that many of the crew responded to read as follows:
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
Why would anyone respond favorably to that plea for help? Do you think people in those days were that desperate for "honour and recognition"? I'd love to talk to the 27 men who signed up for the life threatening trip to find out. I suspect that the men who went were looking for something more than the average life. They knew the trip would be dangerous, but it wouldn't be dull. Maybe they were tired of the same routine day after day, and the thought of "bitter cold" and "small wages" was not enough to scare them away from the possibility of adventure.
The life God has called us to live for him is an adventure with times of danger, excitement, and challenge. The problem is that too often we settle for the mundane and boring. We are willing to follow God's path as long as we understand it and can figure out how to do it. God is looking for people who will follow Him when it doesn't make sense and there seems to be no way for things to work out. I don't know what God is tugging at your heart to do, but whatever it is, don't delay in doing it! There's a ship leaving for Antarctica today, don't miss your chance to be on the crew.
2 comments:
Funny, I just watched a documentary on this bit of history (man am I old). Their ship was frozen in the ice, they camped on an ice floe for 5 months and had to endure unbearable conditions. They all survived and I'm guessing none of them gave up sailing.
so the ad in the paper basically said:
wanted: freaking men.
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