Revival At Sea

Isn't that a gorgeous capture of . . . sunrise or sunset? I don’t know because I didn’t take the picture, Second Daughter did and I find it a perfect reminder of our cruise, Revival at Sea. That’s a tour put together by a pastor and his wife for pastors, staff, families, and extended families each January. 2019 was our first trip with them (as extended family of a church staff employee.)

I had every intention of taking notes of the trip each and every day – but that didn’t work. Too busy having a good time, fellowshipping with like-minded Christians and enjoying being catered too by the Carnival Cruise crew. They did a good job.

I did take notes during our at-sea worship services in the Jazz Bar. I know – but at that time it was filled with people ready to hear preachers. January 6 was a sea worthy topic – don’t be a castaway.

The Bible has a couple of castaway stories – the whole book of Jonah is about a man who declined to do what God asked of him, at least the first time around. After spending three days in the whale, he changed his mind and made the trip to Nineveh, only to get angry when the people listened to him and changed their ways. There is a point there that is applicable to our lives.  Go ahead - read the book.

Paul ended up shipwrecked while doing what was required of him. Luke writes of this in Acts 27 – note here the “we”:

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. (Acts 27:14-15 KJV)

At least the ship made it to a shore after a couple of weeks, though it broke up afterwards:

And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. (Acts 27:41 KJV)

But that’s not the castaway concept Paul meant when he wrote:

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV)

The word translated “castaway” here is Greek, Strong’s G96 ἀδόκιμος (adokimos pronounced ad-ok'-ee-mos) which comes from Strong’s G1 (as a negative particle) and G1384; unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): - castaway, rejected, reprobate.
Speaking of one God has to cast away at the end of time because they have rejected Him. Their lives have been spent worthlessly. Best shown in the definitions of “reprobate”:

rep·ro·bate
noun - an unprincipled person (often used humorously or affectionately). Synonyms: rogue, rascal, scoundrel, good-for-nothing, villain, wretch, unprincipled person, rake, profligate, degenerate, debauchee, libertine;
adjective - unprincipled (often used as a humorous or affectionate reproach). Synonyms: unprincipled, roguish, bad, wicked, rakish, shameless, immoral, profligate, degenerate, dissipated, debauched, depraved, corrupt;

How such a person or action could be deemed humorous or affectionate is beyond me. Good-for-nothing, unprincipled, degenerate – nothing humorous about that. And, nothing showing a love for God, either. Something to be cast away.

It was in such a manner that God loves the world He created that He saw to it there was always a way for the created to see Him and return that love. Why? I like Peter’s explanation:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

Why then does hell exist and is inhabited? Definitely not God’s will – but a place where God’s will is cast away by those who end up being cast away themselves.

Don’t be a castaway. Please.