Pastor Wayne Jensen
February 1, 2012
Christ never gives up......
Two Years Before the Mast is both a reveting story of adventure and an insightful story of life at sea in the ealry nineteenth century. It is the sotry of nineteen-year-old Richard Henry Dana who grew up in a wealthy family in Boston and was enrolled comfortably in Harvard University. One day, Dana abandons his noble life to hire on as a common seaman on a merchant ship of the day.
Dana lived with common sailors in common quarters "before the mast" in constrast to officers, who lived in higher class "staterooms" amidships. Hence the title of the book written by Richard Henry Dana Jr., Two Years Before the Mast.
In one incident, Dana describes what he calls "a black day on our calendar." He writes of having just finished his watch when all hands were summoned on deck by the shrill cry of "All hands ahoy! Man Overboard!`` A man had fallen from the mast into the sea. The identity of the man did not matter as Dana and the others dashed to the lifeboats. What mattered ws that a comrade was in danger of being lost. Even as each passing moment made the unhappy outcome more obvious - the was man was not to be found - the search went on. No one wanted to abandon the search. Dana comments, ``We rowed about for over an hour without hope of doing anything but unwilling to give up on our comrade.`
In a fashion this moment provides an illustration of Jesus Christ, Who, in His relentless search for theose who are lost, descends from the comfort and glory of heaven for the sake of sinful mankind. Jesus lived `before the mast`` among common people. He touched lepers and ate with sinners.
Jesus never gave up on those - lepers - the woman accused of adultery - tax collectors - who were rejected or given up for lost by society. He never gives up on us when we are lost in sin.
Perhaps most of all - He never gives up on those for whom we pray - even when it seems they have given up on Him and we begin to think that there is no more hope.
Pastor Wayne Jensen
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