This is my third and final blog related to my recent cruise. As you know I have fretted over getting sea sick given my propensity to motion sickness. Thanks to good advice and a prescription for a derma patch I survived my week at sea quite well. I enjoyed spending time with 47 folks from the church as well as leading a Bible study on the topic of “Extra-Canonical Literature,” all without the least bit of queasiness from cruising the Caribbean.
What I was completely unprepared for was land sickness. Apparently for some of us readjusting to dry and steady ground can be a nauseating experience. It even has a name: Mal de Debarqument. I read where it is most common in pre-menopausal women…and apparently me. I assume there is not much to do but ride it out. Still, it is pretty embarrassing to sit at my desk and hang on for dear life while someone is trying to have a conversation with me. I just want my equilibrium back.
Have you ever been sea sick or land sick? What about life sick? We have all had events come our way and like a rogue wave sweep us off our feet leaving us out of balance. I have a better understanding now of those disciples who were crossing the Sea of Galilee while a storm threatened to sink them – of course I was on a 14 story cruise boat and the ocean was as smooth as glass. Do you remember the disciples’ plea with Jesus? “Do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38) They just wanted their balance back.
Maybe that is why the church was symbolized as a boat in early Christianity. It is where we go when the sailing is smooth and it is where we hang on when the storms of life rage. In calm times and in torrential times we look to Christ to restore us.
Come to the church, not made by hands and brick, but of people on a journey.
Come to the church, to find balance and perspective.
Come to the church, to ride out the storms and look ahead for the shore.
Come to the church, where Christ is present and who cares very much whenever sea or land or life has made us sick.
After two Sundays away from our church, I am very much looking forward to worshipping with you this Sunday. If I am hanging on to the pulpit like at a captain at the stern you will know why.
Peace, peace, peace,
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