Assumed Success
Journal 2005 05 28
Assumed Success
The first clap of thunder since leaving Fort Mandan greets the men today. A few drops of rain fall early and the both Lewis and Clark record the clouds as “smokey”.
Good fortune seems to be their constant companion in spite of the hardships the men face. The worry of this day is the state of their weak and worn elk skin ropes. A series of “riffles” must be navigated. Several miles of today’s twenty-one and half miles consist of riffles with large sharp rocks that required careful negotiation. The men know that should the elk tow ropes break as the boats are being pulled around the rocks capsizing and loss of boats and gear would result.
The rotting and weather-weakened tow ropes do break during the day, but never in a critical spot where the boats are in danger.
Remember, half this trip is upstream. Can you imagine how we would respond today to a trip that required a thousand miles of upstream, uphill navigation? Most of our river navigation is downstream for a reason. It is hard to go upstream.
This expedition was completed at great hardship. It also saw great fortune. The men assumed success was theirs. We will see many times throughout the next year and a half that many times the Captains decided issues on the assumption of success. They were not foolish. They were confident in their mission and purpose.
Do we look to our lives with an assumption of success in spite of any hardship that might accompany the task? So many times we give way to fear and see the hardships as failure.
Will we continue to give way to fear and view hardship as punishment? Or will we believe that if God woke us up this morning that He has a continued purpose for our lives? Hardship is for our training and strengthening.
Let every man be a liar and God be true! Compared to God’s word people are like grass. His Word stands forever.
Look for His “good fortune” to follow you every day of your life. Your tow ropes may be rotten and weak. You may fear the real loss of what you think is valuable. Your ropes will break. But it is God who determines your good fortune. You can assume it in spite of any fears you may face if you are about His business and not yours.
“For I know the plans I have for you. Plans for good and not for evil.” Jeremiah 29:11
Assumed Success
The first clap of thunder since leaving Fort Mandan greets the men today. A few drops of rain fall early and the both Lewis and Clark record the clouds as “smokey”.
Good fortune seems to be their constant companion in spite of the hardships the men face. The worry of this day is the state of their weak and worn elk skin ropes. A series of “riffles” must be navigated. Several miles of today’s twenty-one and half miles consist of riffles with large sharp rocks that required careful negotiation. The men know that should the elk tow ropes break as the boats are being pulled around the rocks capsizing and loss of boats and gear would result.
The rotting and weather-weakened tow ropes do break during the day, but never in a critical spot where the boats are in danger.
Remember, half this trip is upstream. Can you imagine how we would respond today to a trip that required a thousand miles of upstream, uphill navigation? Most of our river navigation is downstream for a reason. It is hard to go upstream.
This expedition was completed at great hardship. It also saw great fortune. The men assumed success was theirs. We will see many times throughout the next year and a half that many times the Captains decided issues on the assumption of success. They were not foolish. They were confident in their mission and purpose.
Do we look to our lives with an assumption of success in spite of any hardship that might accompany the task? So many times we give way to fear and see the hardships as failure.
Will we continue to give way to fear and view hardship as punishment? Or will we believe that if God woke us up this morning that He has a continued purpose for our lives? Hardship is for our training and strengthening.
Let every man be a liar and God be true! Compared to God’s word people are like grass. His Word stands forever.
Look for His “good fortune” to follow you every day of your life. Your tow ropes may be rotten and weak. You may fear the real loss of what you think is valuable. Your ropes will break. But it is God who determines your good fortune. You can assume it in spite of any fears you may face if you are about His business and not yours.
“For I know the plans I have for you. Plans for good and not for evil.” Jeremiah 29:11
posted by @2007 Dick Cinkovich | 11:45 AM
|
0 comments
