Leaving Shore

A ship in the harbor is safe. But that's not what ships are built for. - Anonymous

Wow. This quote really got my attention. I told someone at conference that I do blog everyday, just in my head. She gently (NOT) suggested that I try doing so on the computer, so here I am. This was a quote I got in one of my Spark People diet emails today and it really got to me.

So many things come to mind as I read it. Have I used my faith (or worse yet, my fat) as a harbor? As something to keep me from having to deal with certain things? Though it's easy to stand still, to preserve what seems like all I have left, protecting myself is not my job.

God is my protector, my defense, my rear guard. Instead of trying to find shelter in food or in myself, I must move, I must run to Him, knowing that my hunger is often for Christ and Christ alone. I must allow my children, my books, my prayers and deeds to extend beyond the boundaries so firmly set in my mind. I must leave the shore of my own making with no regard for Paul's shipwreck or Jonah's weekend stay with the whale. I must pull up my anchors and lean over the edge of myself following God on the adventure that is my life.

Even when I'm scared to death, like today, feeling naked and vulnerable, when all I want to do is hunker down in the safety of sameness, I must allow the winds of change to push me forward. I must allow the Spirit of God blowing up my sleeves and through my hair.

I must leave shore.

Father God,
Give me the courage to strike out and leave the shores that I've been so accustomed to. Help me to open the eyes of my understanding so that I can see the path You have for me and my family. May You continue to do more than I can ask or think.

In Jesus' name,
amen

Comments

[Victoria Gaines]

Loved the post! So true, so challenging. I read a devotional one time that said we need to quit hugging the shores of unbelief and venture out into the 'deep' with God. The whole analogy gets to me, 'cause I'm so afraid of water (can't swim), yet this is how it often feels for us when we dare to pull up anchor and walk by faith and not by sight.

Thanks so much for inspiring me this morning.

hugs,
Vicki

[Amy Wallace]

Wow, Mary.... this was NOT what I wanted to read today. But it was exactly what I NEEDED. Thank you for sharing these words... "A ship in the harbor is safe. But that's not what ships are built for."

I've been wrestling with the fear issue and this quote speaks right into that. Fear isn't what we were made for and neither was protecting ourselves.

Now to take one more faith step into the water~ I'm thinking I'd like Peter's water-walking myself. ;-)

Love you!
Amy

[Staci]

This quote is awesome! That'll definitely be food for thought for today.

Love you.

[Tanya]

That particular quote has opened up a flood gate of emotions. Wow! Thank you for sharing your heart with us, Mary.

Blessings,
Tanya

[GloreyB]

how about this one!

Your safety is not guaranteed if you stay in the boat.

That quote has nearly ruined me - grin

[bobbie]

love this marilyn - i've been sitting in harbor far too long.

[Sarah Louise]

Oh, ship living and harboring and what-not...egad. Yes, a good reminder.

[Jazzy]

Wow! That quote is deep! Thanks so very much for posting. I'm going to share it on my page.