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Good morning, dear friends! This chilly morning, as I sit huddled on the couch under a blanket (dawning my Outer Banks sweatshirt), I’m reflecting on a recent trip I took. I was so very blessed to be asked to go along on a week-long trip to the Outer Banks. And what a wonderful time it was.
I had been to the Outer Banks only once, and that was equally dear to my heart, as I went with family and friends. This trip consisted of five girlfriends, all of us older grandma’s just needing some ‘down’ time. What transpired was a lovely week of shared love and laughter, long walks on the beach, and a lot of inside time, since we only had one day of sunshine. That didn’t take away from the majestic sunrise each morning, as we’d stand, watching and waiting, coffee in hand…waiting to see the glory of God each morning, together. I’ll always cherish this special break from normal everyday life. God is good and God is good to me!
One morning, as we were out walking and collecting seashells for the grandkids, we noticed something in the distance that seemed out of place. As we drew nearer, we saw that a sea turtle was on the beach, laying her eggs. Now mind, my friend who asked me to go on this trip has been going to this same beach for about thirty-five years and has never seen this. I can’t put into words rightly, the joy she was experiencing, since turtles had been so special to her deceased father. We hugged and called the other girls to the beach to watch, too. Now, picture this with me…
Five grown women, surrounding this huge turtle on every side, taking pictures and making videos. Our enthusiasm must have been such a nuisance to this mama who had a job to do. We got down on our knees on the sand and videoed the eggs dropping into the sand. Mama never flinched. We chattered nonstop. She never blinked an eye. As we watched the last egg drop, she began to cover them in the sand with her back legs. Amazing to watch her do her work, singly focused on what she set out to do. Nothing distracted her in any visible way.
As mama turtle finished her job of covering her eggs, she drew a deep breath as if to say, "My work is done, and I’m tired." She lay there motionless for a few minutes, all the while, we continued to circle around her, mesmerized by the whole experience. She then lifted her head and began plowing herself out of the mound of sand where she lay. Ever so slowly, as in turtle mode, she made her way down to the edge of the ocean. What happened next made all of us sentimental grandmas gasp, and even shed a few tears. Mama turtle turned her head and looked back at her nest of eggs. Even now, it makes me emotional. It was as if she was making sure her young were safe before leaving them there on the beach. Within a few waves, she was swept back to sea. We stood there, quietly reflecting. Would she ever see or know her young? We didn’t know, but one thing became so obvious to us, she was a girl on a mission, and nothing could stop her from that mission. I guess you had to be there…
Our Bible study group has been reading through the Book of Acts currently. Paul was a man on a mission, wasn’t he? First, his mission was to persecute all those who were followers of "The Way", that is, Jesus. And what tenacity he had for that mission! But, after the Lord called Paul out of that and he saw the light, literally, and heard God calling out to him, Paul was a changed man for all eternity. As diligent as he was to persecute Christians, he now was even more so, a man of God…willing to die for his faith. Reading through Acts has opened my eyes again to the passion Paul had for the furtherance of the Gospel. He, like mama turtle, was unmoved by those around him. He wholeheartedly embraced God’s calling on his life, even to the point of beatings, chains in prison, being shipwrecked several times, and the constant danger he lived in…all for the cause of Christ. He once said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21) In Acts 21, Paul is set on going to Jerusalem, where the prospect of dying was imminent. His disciples were grieving his departure, as Paul had just told them they would likely never see him again. Acts 20:36-38 says: After he said this, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. There were many tears shed by everyone. They embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving most of all over his statement that they would never see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. Skip to chapter 21:13 and read: Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
What a man of God! What a devoted follower of Jesus! His commitment, first of all shames me at my own failure to stand strong for my faith, but secondly. Inspires me to a greater faithfulness for Him.
Dear reading friend, take heed to the turtle. She was not distracted from her mission, and neither should we be. In our turned upside down world of today, there is much Kingdom work ahead of us. Now more than ever, the need is great. We need more "Paul’s" to light the way for us to be stronger in our stand for the Lord. If only we had as much tenacity to withstand the opposition all around us as he did, wouldn’t that be more a picture of who God calls each of us to be? I long to truthfully say, "For me to live is Christ". I want to think it’s true of me, but so often, I realize that in crucial moments, I don’t always stand for my Jesus as I ought. You, too? This morning, I pray each of us will take some turtle tutoring, some Paul power, and run with it. I pray that we, as the turtle, may take only one look back at what we leave behind and then swim into the great unknown, where Jesus waits for us. He’s calling, you know. He calls above the noise of the world and the waves, and He bids us to follow hard after Him. He calls us to stand for Him when the world around us falls away. He calls us out into deeper waters where our very survival depends on His faithfulness. He says, "Be not afraid. I have overcome the world." Swim, my friend. Swim deep. Never look back. And Thank You, Lord, for lessons from a turtle. Did I mention, we five women were blessed with a beautiful turtle mug from our sweet friend, to cherish our time together? For me personally, I can’t drink from that mug without remembering the call to deeper waters. If you are struggling today, friend, to see your calling in life, take a turtle break. Better yet, get into the book of Acts and be reminded of the faithfulness of a great man of God, once full-time sinner. See how the Lord can use you to minister to a lost world so in need of Him. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Praise His Holy Name.
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Debby Renninger is a freelance writer and inspirational speaker. She holds a Bible study in her home in McVeytown, where seeking women are always welcome. She may be reached at (717) 250-7086 for speaking engagements.