Before sleep overtook my wandering thoughts, as I lay in bed last night, Christopher Columbus came into my mind. Yes, I agree, it was a random thought, generated by, who knows what. It isn't even October 12, the day that the USA celebrates his life . But after he visited my thoughts, I pondered what I knew about him.
I have always been so grateful for the tenacity of Christopher Columbus in striving to take on such a perilous and un-popular 'journey'.
The journey that Christopher Columbus undertook was not only to discover another passage to the West Indies, but it could be said, more importantly to Columbus, to discover a place for freedom from the oppression of Chirstians by radical spreading, Moslem dominance. He left his home country of Italy for Spain, where he waited for the favor of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who would soon evict the Moors from Granada; the last stronghold of the Islamic invaders. When they were freed from that conflict, they provided Columbus with the means to make his journey.
I thought back to the time when Craig and I were blessed to be able to travel to Spain. We walked the grounds of Granada, where the throne was. I remember the beautiful gardens, and wood carved ceilings and walls. While standing there, I imagined Christopher Columbus coming into the very room where I was standing, deeply humble, yet strong in his passion and belief in his idea.
Where did that stong conviction and belief come from you might ask. In Christopher Columbus own words......."At this time I have seen and put in study to look into all the Scriptures ...which our Lord opened to my understanding – I could sense His hand upon me – so that it became clear to me that it was feasible to navigate from here to the Indies, and He gave me the will to execute the idea ..."
Columbus studied the scriputres. In doing that, the "Lord opened to his understanding - I could sense His hand upon me......." Here lies one of the most important factors in finding guidance in our lives. We must be willing to go to the Lord, and find Him in His scriputres. And just as happened with Columbus and myriads of other Christians, when we do that, we too will 'sense His hand upon us......." and it will be clear to us what we should do and how to do it.
Christopher Columbus had a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. He wrote and testified of that faith often. And we too must testify of our deep and abiding faith in the Savior.
Although our oceans are different, we each will have the strength and will to stand , as we nurture our faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. As Christopher Columbus said, the Lord will make our way clear and give us the will to navigate the rough waters if we put our faith in Him. He is the Rock, He is the Way and He is the Light.
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