Wisdom from Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.So throw off the bowlines,sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

I'm not sure how this fits with the thoughts of contentment, rest. I find that there are more good things, exciting things in life than I can possibly do. I do remember praying though about 14 months ago that I felt that my life was too "safe."

In a culture that prizes financial security, job security, medical coverage, predictability . . . and in a context historically where nations and their people are shell-shocked by the global events of the past two years . . . where are we ultimately deriving our security? Are we prone to live too "safely?" I am not speaking of recklessness or presumptive irresponsibility but rather are we willing to open up our lives and say, "Anywhere, anything you want, God. I am willing." Perhaps to leave a career that is secure but not satisfying, or a job that provides comfortable living but a little bit of one's soul dies each year.

So maybe in a broader sense Twain was right: the call of faith is not to comfort and safety . . . it is to throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor and to cast outselves into the plan and security of the One who may appear in the short term to disappoint but ultimately the One in whom our lives and eternities rest.