A perilous journey

On a beach at Rosalie Bay, Dominica, in the Caribbean,  a newly hatched leatherback sea turtle climbs out of its shell. Its perilous life journey has just begun.   The arduous task of climbing up out of the dark black sand where it has been incubating 3 feet down, leaves it weary. We are allowed to hold the hatchling while it rests, and then we move it just a little bit closer to the pounding surf. But not too close. She needs to imprint the smell, sounds, and feel of this particular beach so that in 20 years her instincts will guide her back to this very same beach to nest and lay her eggs. As I put her down, my fears for this little hatchling begin. It must make it to the ocean, on its own. Past lurking predators, the birds and crabs, up mountains and valleys of sand and ocean debris or man made obstacles. Usually this journey to the ocean occurs at night, when the light of a full moon reflects on the ocean, giving just enough light for the little leatherback to be guided toward the white foam of the surf. I rejoice when after 15 long minutes it finally makes it to the sea. And then I wonder. Will you make it little one? Will you be the one in a thousand that survive the predators awaiting you in the dark ocean?


And I can't help but make the comparison.

After spending a week working with some Dominican children, I think of them. Will they make it? Will they come to fully know Christ? Will they live a faithful victorious life, inspite of the perils and obstacles of this life?

And what of the small, newly formed group of Christians and the young man and family who labor with and for them.  Will they stand strong in the truth of His word?

And what of us? Every Christian will face a myriad of trials and temptations, obstacles and disappointments as we go through our own perilous journey. Will they defeat us? Or will we, like the sea turtle, be guided by the Light?  As the beach that the hatchling was born at is imprinted into his instinct, is Jesus imprinted in our soul so much so, that we know the way home?

Our souls get their imprint through Jesus Christ, by breathing in the word of God, until it is formed in us, and we live by it. The apostle Paul says to the Galatian church in Galatians 4:19

...my little children, for whom I am in labor again, until Christ is formed in you - ...

and then he goes on in Chapter 5 of Galatians, to admonish them to walk in the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, to bear the fruit of the Spirit, to live by the Spirit.   This is not some miraculous event. It is accomplished through the word of God.  The word of God is the sword of the Spirit,  Ephesians 6: 17, and that sword does its work in us , 1 Thessalonians 2: 13, as we read, study and take it into our hearts. The word of God is the tool that sharpens us into His image as Christ begins to form in us, and we are 'imprinted' with Him.  


I think that is what we tried to teach those Dominican children. I hope they understood just how very important the word of God is.  We taught them the word of God. By the end of the week they knew the books of the New Testament by heart and they knew that God is our compass, His word is truth, and that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the light.


I pray that imprints on them. And that in 20 years they are standing firmly in God's word. And who knows, maybe one of them will be standing at that same beach in Rosalie bay welcoming a certain leatherback sea turtle back to its home beach... now wouldn't that be something!