BUILD A BOAT
April 11
I have been thinking about the upcoming trip and what I should be expecting out of it. I find myself viewing the potential impact of this trip through a logical perspective. This comes from the fact that I am an engineer, and by my nature and my training, I tend to be a logical thinker, focusing on the process. I start with problem “A”, apply steps 1, 2, and 3, and I end up with solution “B”. This perspective, however, does not serve me well when thinking about this trip. Logically, I can’t escape the fact that I am only going to be in the country 5 full days, I have never worked in an educational setting, and I don’t speak the language or understand the culture. On the surface, I can’t escape the nagging thought that this will be a fun trip, but that I couldn’t possibly expect to make a difference.
But that is where trust steps into the picture. I feel that God is calling me to this trip, and if God is calling, He has a plan. He will make this trip have an impact. Somehow. I also need to realize that the impact isn’t necessarily limited to those I work with. God may very well be planning an impact in me as well. He is working in me, even as I am preparing for the trip, and will be using the experiences during the trip to be working in me even once I am back home.
I recently heard a song on the radio that resonated with me while I was thinking about these ideas. I had heard it many times before, but this time the lyrics really hit home. The song is “Build a Boat” by Colton Dixon. The lyrics say
I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains
I will stand up in faith, I'll do anything it takes
With Your wind in my sails,
Your love never fails or fades
I'll build a boat in the desert place
And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah
I'll ride the storm 'cause I got You by my side
With Your wind in my sails,
Your love never fails or fades
I'll build a boat, so let it rain
The central image of the song is building a boat in the middle of the desert. Who needs a boat in the desert? It doesn’t make sense, but the singer is stepping out in faith to build that boat. It is trust that impels the singer. Then, when the storms of life hit, he can rely on God’s provision and love. While I am not facing a storm related to this trip, I see the parallel between the storms in the song and my doubts due to my logical thinking. Despite my doubts, I am building that boat where my logic says I won’t have an impact. I will stand up in faith. I will trust God.
Colton Dixon's Build a Boat:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjaKKAsQc34
But that is where trust steps into the picture. I feel that God is calling me to this trip, and if God is calling, He has a plan. He will make this trip have an impact. Somehow. I also need to realize that the impact isn’t necessarily limited to those I work with. God may very well be planning an impact in me as well. He is working in me, even as I am preparing for the trip, and will be using the experiences during the trip to be working in me even once I am back home.
I recently heard a song on the radio that resonated with me while I was thinking about these ideas. I had heard it many times before, but this time the lyrics really hit home. The song is “Build a Boat” by Colton Dixon. The lyrics say
I will build a boat in the sand where they say it never rains
I will stand up in faith, I'll do anything it takes
With Your wind in my sails,
Your love never fails or fades
I'll build a boat in the desert place
And when the flood and the water starts to rise, yeah
I'll ride the storm 'cause I got You by my side
With Your wind in my sails,
Your love never fails or fades
I'll build a boat, so let it rain
The central image of the song is building a boat in the middle of the desert. Who needs a boat in the desert? It doesn’t make sense, but the singer is stepping out in faith to build that boat. It is trust that impels the singer. Then, when the storms of life hit, he can rely on God’s provision and love. While I am not facing a storm related to this trip, I see the parallel between the storms in the song and my doubts due to my logical thinking. Despite my doubts, I am building that boat where my logic says I won’t have an impact. I will stand up in faith. I will trust God.
Colton Dixon's Build a Boat:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjaKKAsQc34
A few days after posting this entry, a friend of mine sent me an encouraging response that I wanted to share as a postscript to the blog.
Steve - something I always keep in mind with things like this is the motto we used for our former church - "connecting the broken and hurting to Jesus one step at a time" Your very presence to the people you encounter, even if you don't speak a word of Spanish, will have profound impact on them. It may be the first of many steps they take in their walk with Christ.
You've got this.
Hope this helps,
Dave
Steve - something I always keep in mind with things like this is the motto we used for our former church - "connecting the broken and hurting to Jesus one step at a time" Your very presence to the people you encounter, even if you don't speak a word of Spanish, will have profound impact on them. It may be the first of many steps they take in their walk with Christ.
You've got this.
Hope this helps,
Dave