Chapter Three - The Choice

I looked at the young officer, and then at all the other passengers. Hundreds were on the beach, and I assumed that several thousand more were on the ship. “You said you were ready to go. Where are you ready to go to?” I asked the young officer who seemed to be representing the group. “We’re going to the same place every sojourner has sought—the city that God is building.” “How do you know me, and why do you think I can take you there?” I inquired.

“We know who you are, and we were told, that you know the path that will take us there,” one of the passengers said. “Are these the only ones coming?” I asked.

“The rest said they would come later,” another replied. “There may not be a later,” I said. “The time is getting short.”

“I’ve been telling them that, but they don’t believe me,” stated the young officer. “What about the captain of the ship? Hasn’t he been telling them?” “Sir, I don’t think he believes the time is short,” the young officer said, with the obvious agreementof those who had followed him. “What are all these people going to do?” I asked. “Where are they going now?” “They said they have everything they needed. If they do not stay here, they may just cruise up and down the coast, which is what we’ve been doing for a long time,” another one of the passengers added.

I told the group, to enter the forest, by the path nearby, and I would join them shortly. I knew that it was important for them to get started right away, and if they stayed in that place long, many would be tempted, to go back to the ship. I then asked the young officer to take me to the captain so I could speak to him, which he agreed to do. As we boarded the ship, I was in awe of how beautiful it was. Everything was designed for comfort and luxury. There was a large gathering going on in the center of the ship that I could hear echoing throughout. The music was beautiful. “Wow, You must have a great sound system on this ship,” I said to the young officer. “Only the best. Everything is state of the art,” he replied. “Are the cabins as nice as the common areas?” I asked. “Some are even nicer. You should see where the leaders live. They say that they must have such places to impress and entertain, all of the dignitaries who visit us. We do have many famous people coming and going,” the young officer added. “I was offered a magnificent place myself if I stayed.”

“Were you not tempted to take it?” I asked. “I was very tempted. Even coming back here is not easy,” he answered. “Remember that God does not tempt us. If it is temptation, we must resist it,” I said, concerned that I should not have put him back in that situation, but knowing I had to speak to the captain. “Don’t worry about me,” the young officer replied. “I could not abandon those who are going to the mountain. I love them more than I love this ship.”

As we came to the captain’s quarters, I could not help but marvel at its opulence. He was waiting to usher us in and had refreshments ready. I assumed he had been notified that I was coming, when I passed the officer of the deck. He seemed genuinely glad to see me. After exchanging greetings, and some news about a few common people we knew, I got right to the point.

“Captain. I am honored that you have trusted me, with some of your people, to carry on this mission,” I began. “I am so happy for you to take them. They are all great people, and I think they will do very well with you,” the captain replied.

“The few minutes that I was with them they seemed well prepared. But my concern is for the others here. The time is short. Those who do not make this journey soon, may never have the chance. This could be the last call,” I stated.

“You know, I appreciate your zeal,” the captain replied, “but people have been saying that for generations. In fact, I think every generation has felt the same way, and yet time goes on.”

“Even if we have a lot of time left, we do not have any time to waste. The battles between light and darkness are increasing, and the last battle is obviously near. We must make it, to the mountain of the Lord, with as many as we can,” I urged. “Well, there are certainly great battles being fought,” the captain replied. “And we appreciate all who are fighting them, and do as much as we can to support them. I have fought in quite a few myself, but right now, we are being taught how to prosper. We must be obedient to our calling. This is our part now, and with our prosperity, we can help support those who are going on these missions.”

The opulence and luxury were mind-numbing. Everything the captain said seemed so reasonable. My own words seemed empty and unreal on such a great ship. After the hardship I had just endured the temptation to just stop and relax on that ship for a while was very strong. The captain seemed to sense my growing weakness, and continued:

“I learned a long time ago, that you have to release those, who are determined, to make the journey you are taking them on. If they do not go, they will end up sowing discord here. They’re all good people though, and I thank you for taking them. “But, Before you go,” the captain said, taking my forearm in a friendly gesture, “are you sure, that you should not stay here for awhile? I have a perfect position for you. There is not a better place to get healed of your wounds and the hardship you have been through than right here.”

I don’t remember ever being so tempted in my life. I knew that if I even opened my mouth, to debate with the captain, I could end up staying. I just shook my head and left as quickly as I could. The young officer was right behind me. I felt defeated. Not only had I not been able to penetrate the atmosphere on that ship, and warn those on it, it had almost taken me over. I was running for my life like a puppy with its tail between its legs.

As we crossed the beach, I turned to the young officer, “What caused you to be willing to leave such a comfortable position, and to strike out into a wilderness like this?” “I don’t want to be negative or disrespectful of my captain,” the young officer replied. “He taught me so much and has given me so much, but, all we seem to talk about anymore is money and stuff. I signed up to serve the Lord, not to get rich. Now this may be what they are called to, but it is not what I am called to.”

I marveled at the young man, for being so resolute about something, that I was so weak in. As we walked, he continued: “As great as it was to be on that ship, my heart was empty, and I was getting emptier. I saw good people drifting, beginning to do things that should not be done. I knew that if I did not leave that ship very soon I never would. Then I would live a life of compromise and defeat. I think this was my last call, regardless of how much time the world has.”

“You do know that you are leaving this luxury and comfort for great hardship, don’t you?” I asked. “Yes, I do know that. It may be more difficult than I think, but I have been reading the classics, the great messengers of the Lord, in history. They all lived a very different life than we were living on that ship. The more I read about the lives of the great saints, the more I questioned everything we were doing and teaching. I could not bear it any longer. The captain was right. I would have caused discord, if I had stayed. I have to make this journey, or I will never be at peace,” the young officer confided.

“You have done the right thing,” I said, “but it will hard. How about the people who followed you, do they know what they are getting themselves into?” “They were all part of a group we started called ‘The Society of Bonhoeffer,’” the young officer said. “I guess that says enough,” I replied as we entered the wilderness. And I noticed that he did not even look back at the ship.

The young officer and I had not gone very far before it became too dark to proceed. We found a stream of the living water nearby, refreshed ourselves, and went to sleep. When we woke, we drank from the stream, prayed, and then started down the path, at a quick pace. It took us much longer than I expected, to catch up to the group that had gone before us. The group had not only pressed ahead with resolve, but they had not drifted from the path. None had wandered off alone and gotten lost. I had not done that well when I was alone, so I was impressed with them. I was relieved that this seemed to be a group that would not need micromanaging.

When we finally caught up to the group, they were exhausted but cheerful. I asked if they had found water or food. A smart looking, middle-aged man with a designer haircut said they had not. They were thirsty, maybe more thirsty than they had ever been. I knew this would be good for them. Now they would really appreciate the living water.

I asked the man who had answered me for his name. He only gave his first name, William. I then asked if he had a wife. He said that he was no longer married, and volunteered that his wife had left him. I expressed my condolences, and then asked if that was why he came on this journey. His reply was illuminating.

“I would not say that her leaving me had nothing to do with it,” he answered, “but I think she left me more because I had lost my vision, my purpose, more than just leaving me for another man. My life had become empty, and I was becoming bitter. I don’t blame her for leaving me. I did not even like myself until I found this group.”

“So how did you learn about this path?” I inquired. “Some of these here, saw how empty and alone I was, and asked me to come to their little fellowship. I was so desperate at the time, that I would have tried anything, so I went. They talked about the dreams some had of a mountain, that was like the mountain of the Lord. They believed we were called to that mountain. I thought it was all foolishness at first, but there was more life in their foolishness, than I had experienced in a long time, so I kept coming to the meetings. Finally, I decided that it would be better to die seeking that mountain, than to live the way that I had been living. I got caught up in their vision. It may be foolishness, but I have hope again like I have not had for many years. I know now, that the greatest treasure I could ever find is purpose, and now that I have it again I would rather die than lose it.”

I surveyed the group, and could tell that William was very different from the rest. He was obviously not just a professional, but likely a high achiever. Feeling that he had more to say, I asked him to continue, so he did: “I have also come to love these people like my own family. I have had presidents, and other great and powerful people seek my counsel, but I have sought the counsel of these here. I have never found the kind of heart, the greatness of spirit, or wisdom like I have found with these people. I would rather be in their fellowship, than with any of the great ones in this world. I would rather be in this wilderness with them, seeking this mountain they speak of, than live in any other palace.” The others were looking at William as if they had never heard this from him before, so I asked the group how well they knew William. Some said that they knew that his wife had left him, but that was all. He had obviously been very quiet in their fellowship, but was now opening up. This was a positive sign. They were already bonding, on a new level.

I asked William to choose several scouts, to send out in pairs, in different directions, to look for water. I instructed them not to go beyond shouting distance, from where we were. They found water quickly. It was close by, just as the Voice had said it would always be. After everyone had quenched their thirst, I gathered the group together, to give them a briefing on our journey. They were intent, focused, and almost bursting with energy. The effect of the water was obvious. “I went back to see your captain and the ship,” I began. “I am impressed, that you could leave all of that, to strike out into this wilderness. Now we have heard William’s reasons for doing this, but I would like to hear from some of the rest of you why you would do this.” One of the older women spoke up, “We have not had this water for a long time. Just one drink

is worth leaving all of that.” The others agreed.

“This is the living water,” I said. “You are right. There is no treasure on earth that can compare to it. Even so, I’m still impressed that you would leave all that you had, not really knowing what you would find. You are already great saints in my book.”

“To leave anything we know, to strike out into the unknown, takes great faith, but it takes an uncommon faith to leave all that you did to make such a journey,” someone said from behind me. I turned to see the Voice.

Who are you?” one of the group asked him. He did not answer, but rather nodded for me to continue. He was of such an unimpressive, unobtrusive demeanor that I quickly had their attention again. “I don’t think I have ever seen such luxury and comfort as on the ship you guys just left. You left so much, it was a great sacrifice, and sacrifice is what will get you through this wilderness to your destination. The mountain is real. I have been there. You have never seen glory like you will see on that mountain, but neither have you seen battle and conflict like you will experience there.

“It will not be an easy journey, but it will be worth it. That you had what it takes to begin, means you also have what it takes to finish, if you do not get distracted from the path. There are many traps intended to get us off the path. Some are deceptive, and all are enticing, but they will all result in getting you so lost that it will be difficult for you to find the path again. This wilderness is hostile to us in every way. It is dangerous, and many don’t make it through. It is probable, that you will now face the greatest trials you have ever faced in an environment, that is trying every way it can, to stop you. I know you called yourselves ‘The Society of Bonhoeffer.’ That is fitting, because you will need to draw on THAT kind of courage and focus, that he had, for this journey.”

A young lady spoke up, “We will not be easily turned back. We have all experienced, what it is like to live without a great purpose. It is better to die, as Bonhoeffer did, than to not walk the path we have been called to. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.” “What is your name?” I inquired. “Mary.” When she spoke, I could tell that many looked at Mary with affection and respect, even though she was young, maybe in her early twenties.

Then another one in the group said, “Mary has a double portion of curiosity,” which the others quickly affirmed with their laughs.

Mary seemed not to notice. “So Mary has a lot of questions, ok, well that keeps everyone else seeking answers. Good, we need that,” I said.

“That you are here, means you have heard the call, and you made the choice to obey it. It is one of the most important choices you have ever made. As Bonhoeffer once wrote, ‘When the Lord calls a man, He bids him to come and die.’ You are about to experience the truth of that, but you will also know the truth of what the Lord said, that if we lose our life, for His sake, we will find it. You will die some every day, but you are now on the greatest adventure that one can have in this life.” And so the journey began.