Keep Your Eyes on the Shore July 16, 2012
In 1952, a 32-year-old woman named Florence Chadwickstepped into the waters of the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, intending toswim to the shore of mainland California,26 miles away. She was flanked by small boats that watchedfor sharks and were prepared to help her if she became injured orgrew tired. After about 15 hours a thick fog set in, obscuring her vision. Shebegan to doubt her ability, and she expressed her fear and doubt to her mother,who was in one of the nearby boats. Her mother tried to reassure her that shewas close and she could do it. But finally, physically and emotionallyexhausted, Miss Chadwick simply stopped swimming, and her companions pulled herout. Mere minutes later, the boat reached the shore, revealing that she hadswum over 25 miles and had quit less that one mile away from the coast. At anews conference the next day she said, “I do not want to make excuses formyself… But I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” Twomonths later, she tried again… and did.
One of the most important functions of the Bible is tohelp us “see the shore.” Time after time, the Bible’s writers remind us of whatis out there waiting for us, solid and real and guaranteed for God’s children.Take, for example, Peter’s opening paragraph in 1 Peter 1:3-9. Peter wants tomake sure that his readers reach the shore, “obtaining the outcome of yourfaith, the salvation of your souls” (v 9). He can’t make the journey anyshorter or the coastline any closer. But he can give us the vision we need tomake sure, by God’s grace, that we get there.
Consider what he says: We have living hope through theresurrection (v 3). We own an eternal inheritance (v 4). God is guarding us (v5). Our trials are short-lived and purposeful (v 6). Our proven faith willsomeday bring us praise from God (v 7). We will soon see the Savior we love (v8). We will then be fully and completely saved (v 9).
Each of these points deserves elaboration, but I’llleave that to you for your own study. For the purposes of this column, I justwant to use this list to urge you to keep going. Don’t give up. Keep your eyeson the shore!