The Voyage

Throughout history we have learned about bold and brave men and women who have ventured out into the unknown to reach a specific goal and destination. When we think of famous voyages, Christopher Columbus, Capt. James Cook and other famous explorers come to mind. Here in the Hawaiian Islands, we also reflect on the voyage of the first Polynesians to arrive on these shores so long ago. As LCMS Lutherans, we look back with fondness at our spiritual ancestors, the Saxon Lutherans, who left their German homeland on a voyage to Missouri. Voyages come in all sizes and lengths, and many have changed the world as we know it, but the greatest voyage of all was when God’s Son, Jesus, came down from heaven and entered the womb of a virgin named Mary and was born into our world as our Savior. It is that amazing voyage all the way from heaven to earth of our Savior that brought about God’s salvation for you and me and as a result, we who know the world’s greatest adventurer, Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer and Lord, by His grace through the gift of faith, have been called to join Him in this very special and specific spiritual voyage for the sake of Waikoloa Village. In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that He came to give us life and life to the fullest. He said: “I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance - to the fullest, until it overflows.” (Expanded Version)

God says that the life He gave us as His redeemed, baptized, Spirit-filled children was meant to be enjoyed, by living it to the fullest for His glory. Here’s the point: As a Christian, chosen and loved by God, you and I were made for adventure, God’s adventure!

This shared voyage we are about to embark on with our Lord is certainly an adventure! And every adventurous and successful voyage has a vision; a goal; a specific purpose, and God has shared a very clear and reachable goal for our voyage with Him and each other. God has opened wide the door for us to walk into our future here on His land of promise with adventurous faith. During this voyage over the next few years, we apply for our county building permits and raise the rest of the funds needed to break ground and start building our permanent rescue station for our beloved Waikoloa Village. These next several months and years are going to be quite an adventure, challenging our faith more than ever before. And that’s what God’s adventurous voyages are all about – doing whatever it takes, sacrificing whatever is required, fully trusting in Jesus as He leads us, to His appointed destination, His land of promise! 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Follow the LORD in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (GNT)

What satisfaction, what joy, what contentment awaits all of us as we strive together on this spiritual voyage with our Lord, facing every challenge with bold faith and complete trust in Him. And above all, we keep in mind and heart the greatest motivation of all on this “journey” to God’s land of promise, His love!

“For Christ’s love compels us.” 2 Corinthians 5:14

The love of Christ compels each and every one of us to seek His will and to trust His vision as we respond to His call to do our part in completing the voyage and celebrating the victory! Every one of us, as God’s faithful stewards (managers) of all the vast resources He has entrusted to us, have the privilege and honor to seek His will for how much of His financial blessings we will return to Him for the sole purpose of completing His permanent “rescue station”, our new church buildings, parking lots and landscaping. This is the destination that our voyage together will arrive at in the near future. But it will take every one of us sacrificially and joyfully giving a generous and abundant financial gift towards God’s vision over the next three years of the voyage. Now is the time to go to our loving heavenly Father in prayer and seek not what we would give, but what He desires us to give, to fulfill His mission, this journey, our shared voyage, for the sake of all our Waikoloa friends and neighbors who don’t yet know God’s unconditional love and amazing grace, like we do.

 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

As we all do our cheerful, generous and faithful parts in providing all the financial resources God has already and will continue to give to us to use for His glorious vision and voyage, we hold fast to His unbreakable promise above that His grace will accomplish everything we need both now and throughout the next three years of our pledges. This is the voyage, and what a memorable and blessed voyage it will be, especially when God then writes the third chapter in His most recent pages of His love story for Waikoloa, the chapter titled “THE VICTORY” !