The Ship’s Compass
In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, the European sea explorers had to rely by faith on a small, hand-held instrument called the compass. No human being has ever naturally felt, seen, heard or smelled the earth’s magnetic field. It’s completely invisible to us. But then someone invented the compass and suddenly sailors had a powerful, new navigation tool.
The slave to the compass has freedom of the seas. The rest must sail close to shore.
That First Voyage
The first captain to use a compass to sail into the open ocean risked everything. I suspect his crew felt tense and uneasy. Their ship’s officers trusted that the needle would reliably point north, allowing the navigator to steer the ship. But what if the compass needle had started wildly spinning? Or refused to move at all? What if the earth’s magnetic field ‘went away’ for a week? No one truly knew 100% that the compass would work reliably in the middle of the Pacific.
Not until the first few crews sailed safely back home.
A captain in the 15th century who didn’t have a compass on board couldn’t risk an ocean voyage. His ship would almost certainly be lost at sea. The compass made the Age of Exploration possible.
Continuing to Trust
Trusting God is like relying on the compass when sailing across the ocean. The magnetic field is invisible, yet always present. So is the Trinity. True magnetic north can be detected. So can the Lord’s leading. Launching out into a new area of faith often feels unnerving and a little scary. Because we can’t rely on ourselves or our past experiences.
By faith, the Holy Spirit invites us lose sight of land and sail into unknown seas.
But we have to rely on Him.
Resources
The Ages of Exploration page of the Mariner’s Museum: Compass.
