Our religious culture is all about personal journeys. It loves to spend time cruising the mystical seas, feeling the spiritual sea breeze blowing through its hair. It loves the tolerance of the cruise but gets bent out of shape when it reaches a port of call. It would much rather gorge itself on vanilla flavored soft-serve new age spirituality 24 hours a day than make shore at a unique port of salvation. Better to slap a COEXIST sticker on the hull of our ship and be tossed and turned by the cultural currents than actually set foot on solid salvation land. Every port of call is different; Jamaica is not Alaska is not Puerto Vallarta. Likewise every religious option is different; Nirvana is not God consciousness is not Jesus. Sooner or later the supplies will run out and you will be forced to make land. You must choose a port-of-Call. But where will you anchor? Have you done your research? Do you know how you must live in your chosen permanent port? I think you may be surprised to find that at most harbors the living water you seek is not potable, and instead of giving you transcendence will give you a bad case of tourista.

In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul encountered a group of Athenian philosophers also cruising the mystical high seas on the SS Unknown God. They seemed content partying on the Lido deck and gorging themselves on a wide variety of deity delicacies. Paul, however, interrupted their party by suggesting that their spiritual smorgasbord consisted of nothing but empty calories and that their ship was taking on water and was no longer seaworthy. He implored them to dock at the only port capable of providing permanent repairs. What would they do?

What options do we have? Atheism tells us not to book a voyage in the first place because the world is flat and the lure of the unchartered waters beyond the horizon may cause us to sail right off the edge of the material world into the depths of spiritual insanity. Buddha tells us to remain at sea and avoid thinking about land because life as a landlubber is nothing but suffering. Hinduism assures us that we can remain at sea forever since every lifetime we are issued a new boat. Unfortunately, because of inequalities in Karmic currency exchange we are all too often issued a Junk. New Age spirituality tells us that we don’t need fuel or food because our boats are powered by positive thoughts and even though the hull is beginning to break apart the law of attraction will hold it together. Christianity tells us that our boat is awesome but needs fixing and there is only One port qualified in redemptive repair. Port Jesus is actually the best spot to weigh anchor because His waves are gentle, moorage is free, and He has prepared many rooms in His mansion for us to rest from our stormy journey. He accepts all of our broken down, worn out, and unattractive ships and welcomes us to a feast while we await resurrection repair.

Our culture has it all wrong. It tells us that journeys are tolerant but destinations are dangerous. It is better to seek than find. It is better to ask than listen. It is better to knock and then run away. Aren’t you tired of floating aimlessly on a religious ocean where you constantly have to lean over the side and lose your cookies due to spiritual seasickness? It is time to set course for the land of milk and honey where you can taste and see that He is good.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7: 7-8)