We set out

I came across a quote from the journals of Christopher Columbus the other day and it struck me as a very simple way of proclaiming the truth about what happens when a man or woman decides to follow Christ. He said, "Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World." I know very well he was speaking of leaving one shoreline in search of another, but change up just one word in that and you have a pretty cool picture - "Following the light of the SON, we left the old world."

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We set out for a 'new world' when we choose to follow Christ, don't we? Old has passed away, new begins and the journey before us is filled with hope, but maybe just a hint of reservation is mixed in with that hope, isn't it? We aren't sure about the journey, so we kind of 'hold back'. If you are like me, it didn't take you long to realize your 'reservations' about serving Christ weren't going to last very long. In fact, the longer I walked with him, the greater my hopes became of discovering the 'new' he had prepared for me to discover!

All those years back, when the men, women, and children who chose to take that journey with Columbus were setting foot onto those vessels bound for a 'new world', do you think they did so without fear? Not likely. They were leaving homeland, family, relationships, and there were probably some others who were leaving a 'bad past' behind in hopes of finding a new future ahead of them. Our 'homeland' isn't this earth, my friend. When we come into relationship with Christ it might just surprise each of us to realize how 'little' this earth has a hold on us anymore. 

Following the light of the SON - we set out. We leave behind the old, and take on the course of entering into the new. This is indeed a solidly biblical picture of what it is like to know and walk with Christ. We may not recognize how 'brave' we are when we take that first step down that path, but let me assure you of this - no one enters this relationship with Christ by osmosis or some magical 'poof'. We all have to take the first step. There will be lots of 'first steps' as we 'follow the Son', but let me assure you of this - the reward that awaits us at the end of the journey far outweighs the little bit of 'bravery' we need to muster with each of those 'first steps'. Just sayin!