When Hernan Cortez’ men became restless after traveling to a new land, Mexico, he gave the order to burn their ships, eliminating the option of returning home to Spain. Stephen Curtis Chapman wrote a moving song called Burn The Ships based upon this true story from 1519. In the lyrics to this song from the album entitled Heaven in the Real World, Chapman is essential encouraging people to burn the bridges to your past so you’re not tempted to return.
Genesis 35:1-2 has a similar feel to Cortez, except God gives Jacob an order which he passes on to his entire family. Upon leaving his father’s land, Rachel steals the gods of Laban, Genesis 31:19, revealing an unhealthy obsession within Jacob’s wife. Though not mentioned directly, its quite possible that God exposes Rachel’s sin to Jacob. Prior to Moses and the 10 commandments introduced in Exodus 20, God makes himself and his ways known to the descendents that will one day form the nation of Israel.
Jesus affirms God’s Old Testament words in Matthew 16:25 and John 3:3. If you want to truly discover life as designed by God, you must be willing to loose yourself, burning any remaining bridges to your past way of life. The apostle Paul says this better than I ever could in Galatians 2:20, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Therefore, if you are still struggling to embrace life on earth, maybe you have one too many bridges remaining to your past. Like Cortez declared many years ago, burn them now!
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 