Devotions from Margaret Silf’s book, At Sea with God

Who is with us on our boat that we call our life?  Who are our personal “crew” and how close do we feel to them and value them?
1.  The Navigator/co-navigator, is someone alongside us who shares the voyage at an intimate level, encouraging us and helping us discern. This could be a “soul friend” or spiritual companion with whom we can share deeply.

2. A small select team of experience mariners is important. This could be our faith community, our church or  small group where we support one another in whatever ways are needed.

3. The cook makes sure that all the crew receives wholesome nourishment. This spiritual food can be found in surprising places but it is wherever we feel fed and spiritually alive.

4. The ship’s Carpenter deals with maintenance issues so we don’t “fall apart”.  This could be a soul friend or someone who can remind us to look after ourselves and to enjoy life.

5. Apprentices are those who we pass on our own life experiences to and tell them our sacred story.

6. Short term passengers are those people who we may have a brief encounter with but have been life-giving to us. Even though they may be short-term they may have long-term effects on us, even as we can affect the lives of others by something as simple as a remark.

Devotions from Margaret Silf’s book,  At Sea With God

As we voyage through life, we often accumulate excess clutter which is often a sign of insecurity- a defense barrier against the world or protection against facing some unfinished business.  What things fill up our boat and take up space?

1.Old hurts and resentments which can sap our energy. 2. Assumptions and prejudices that we have stored away in our hearts and minds. 3. Comfort blankets we have grown out of but can’t let go of…ex. Old coping mechanisms. 4. Too much busyness which can be a cover up for loneliness or low self-esteem. 5. Fears and old ways of responding to new situations. 6. False guilt that traps us in our self-focus and puts us at the mercy of manipulative power systems. 7. Poor self-image that convinces us that our own voyage doesn’t matter.  8. The victim mind-set that assumes once suffered some undeserved harm every new situation is going to prove harmful. 9. Other people’s baggage as we take on responsibility for another person’s journey. Even though we know this is unwanted baggage it may be tough to let go. But when our desire to sail free is stronger than our attachment to the baggage, then we will let it go. Let us move on to greater freedom this day!

Devotions from Margaret Silf’s book At Sea With God

As we think of our voyage through life what unique cargo is our life’s boat carrying?  What unique gift or calling are we carrying and who might it be intended for? Each of us has our own personal gifting, experience, innermost desires and longings that make up who we are. It matters to God that we live the fullness of who we are and carry it faithfully through our lives sharing it with others.  Our own cargo actually grows as we give it away and the vessel of our being will expand to accommodate it. Our own individual cargo resources are going to need replenishing as we journey.  Where do we dock and take on fresh supplies?  It could be a place or could be people that give us a special kind of oasis, and renew us with their encouragement. We each have our own “Home Ports” that help give us nourishment and the resources to go on. Not everything we stow aboard our boat is part of the cargo but more just baggage that can threaten the stability of our boat. We can spend so much time arranging it and rearranging it that we miss the experience of the journey.  As we are deciding what we really need and what is overloading us we can ask:  Is this useful? Do I cherish this as beautiful?  If not just let it go as it will drag us down.  Keep those things that lead to life. Radical separation from our baggage may be the beginning of radical healing! More tomorrow.

Devotions from Maragaret Silf’s book At Sea With God

As we think about our soul’s journey on the sea of life we recognize that certain aspects of our lives provide us with energy, and other aspects drain us of energy. How is our boat fueled, and what is our main energy source?   Like a sailboat we may feel our energy source is beyond ourselves, as we catch the wind and skim on the waves. Or maybe we feel like an oarsman struggling to row our boat through heavy seas.  Perhaps we feel like we need motorized assistance that calls on others to help us. Most likely we draw on all these resources at different times and situations.  We need to be aware of life giving sources of energy and give time and space to engage in those things.  We also need to recognize what drains us of life and minimize those losses by avoiding those things. Sometimes we may feel others steal our energy by putting us down with sarcasm and criticism. They may withhold affirmation and even belittle our skills. We can fight back which drains us further or we can find our own energy sources.  We may notice our energy flows when we are enjoying what we are doing or people we enjoy being with.  Or we can gain strength by being out in nature and sense peace and harmony. The most important thing is to be sure we are in touch at a personal level with the Source of all energy, who is God. We can constantly draw from that supply of divine energy and love. We do so when we withdraw into prayer and meditation or take time to reflect on where and how God is active in all that is happening in our lives. Why not take a 10 minute  walk today and just be with Him and listen to Him and you will find yourself refreshed!

Devotions from Margaret Silf’s book At Sea with God

Our life is like a voyage of discovery.  Every moment is an opportunity to discover something more of the mystery of God and his desire for our personal growth.  Each of us has a unique sailing vessel and must be willing to put to sea and make those discoveries. No two boats are alike and all are equally welcome to sail God’s seas.  We were made to sail and must move into unchartered waters. What state is our boat in? Is it seaworthy? Has it had been properly maintained?  The better we care for it the more joyously it will journey. We need to care for our body ( not pushing it to the limits), our minds (filling it with good things), and our spirits (having our inner hunger satisfied). The most important thing is who is at the control center of our boat. We may salute God as our guide and navigator, but do we ever let God take the helm?  We need to spend time with Him and then trust Him to steer our boat on a true course. May we give it thought today as to what draws us closer to God and what tends to pull us away from our true center. Let us live in that center!

Devotions from Scott McKnight’s book, Embracing Grace

We were created in the image of God and our catechism says our chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy Him forever. Isn’t it something that we are the visible bodies that reflect the glory of God?   There has been a steady erosion of how we perceive ourselves as the glory of God’s creation to now being diminished by ideologies, laws and power plays.
Individualism is a big obstacle to the gospel of embracing grace. Yes, we are individuals but we are more than that as we are in relationship to God and to others. Individualism tells us we are on our own, and makes God and others commodities to further our own ends. It really diminishes who we are made to be. We can get so self-absorbed that we have a long list of entitlements. But we were made to relate to God and others in a perfect balance in which our individual integrity is protected.  . We are individuals but part of a larger community through which God is working. We are not perfect but are being transformed from one degree of glory to another and this will spread to all of our relationships. Can others see Christ in us?!

Devotions from Scott McNight’s book, Embracing Grace
The gospel tells  the story of “God who embraces us in spite of who we are and what we have done; it tells us that God’s embrace enables us to embrace God back and to embrace others, and that this double embrace is intended for the good of others in the world.”  The gospel is designed to create this cycle of grace!  How beautiful!

How we live shows how we believe. By our fruit we will be known.

This generation wants an authentic gospel that creates a “come as you are” and drop the pretense type church.  This is exemplified in a safe place where honesty is found but where people can tell their story and are received with love. This generation wants something that speaks to their condition and can set them free from the chaos this world confronts them with. They want something that will draw them closer to God and to others and lead them to a life that is good for the world. In other words they want to both to hear it and see it!

Devotions from James Smith book, Embracing the Love of God

God provides us with an example of how to care for one another. Our motive for caring comes from the care God has shown us. “God cares for our spiritual life, God cares for the health of our soul, and God provides for our physical needs. God is available, God listens, and God never abandons us. This is how we are to care for one another.” We are called to be His hands and feet and mouth as He brings people into our lives. We are vessels that carry a great treasure within us and it is His power that heals and blesses others.

It is so important to listen to others and when we listen without judgment it is a wonderful gift we give to one another.  Have you ever noticed how your soul is set free when you know you’ve been heard?
And when we receive encouraging words it breathes life into us and energizes us.  Max Lacado wrote, “Plant a word of love heart-deep in a person’s life. Nurture it with a smile and a prayer, and watch what happens.” What usually happens is that the person is enabled to walk away refreshed and full of energy. Sometimes we can make a difference just by writing a letter of encouragement, or speaking into their life. Maybe our random act of kindness seems small but each thing we do for another has great significance.  “When we care for others, our capacity to care is increased.”   We benefit as well.

Devotions from James Smith’s book, Embracing the Love of God

God has made us interdependent, and from the moment of our creation He felt it was important for us to live in community. At the core of our being is the need to love and be loved by others.  By living in community we can find the fulfillment for which we hunger. God could have made us so we didn’t need one another but instead he gives us all of the resources we need to care for one another.  We all have gifts He has given us and we are to pass on these gifts to those that need them. Our lives have an impact on those around us far greater than we can see.  Each moment, each decision, each act of kindness, will have a ripple effect.  What we do today-or don’t do today-will have an impact on someone.  We may never know what even one word of encouragement can mean to another. 
God’s love for us becomes the source of our desire to love on another. ( I John 4:19) If we fail to care for others, we have most likely failed to know that God cares for us.  When we grasp how much God loves us, we will feel His love flowing out of us into the lives of others.