Hawaii 1 0 December 2019
It is likely that the Spanish never came upon Hawaii. It may have been because they were so methodical and rapidly discovering everything else in the world’s oceans. The voyage that would have taken them the closest actually ran them at least 200 miles south of the southern most island. That doesn’t seem like much to you or I, but the Spanish Captain Lopez de Villalobos left Roca Partida near Mexico in 1542 and was headed to Kwajalein and the Carolines. It would not have been his intent to divert from the most direct course as he made 3-4 miles per hour. Captain James Cook on the other hand did discover Hawaii. In the year 1778 he was going about his explorations very specifically looking for the mythical Northwest Passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. His track, almost due north from Tahiti, took him right into the Hawaiian Islands. Long inhabited by the island people from the south, Cook and his men were the first Europeans.
It would be very interesting to learn how many of our current inventions, medical breakthroughs and champion concepts came from illogical, try-it-anyway minds who just “let her rip.” Noah built the ark for 40 years with neighbors likely cat calling from the alley. Moses went up against the most powerful man in the world – Pharaoh. Mary was supernaturally made pregnant with the child Jesus. One can only imagine what the neighbors had to say about that.
Persistence was often the great cousin of the explorers, experimenters, first adopters, and scientists. Thomas Edison and crew tried no less than 2,700 times to create a lightbulb. John Bunyan took 24 years to write Pilgrims Progress, more than half of which he was in prison. Jack London suffered through 600 rejections before his first article was published. From 1832-1858 Abraham Lincoln lost elections in the Illinois State Legislature, US Congress, twice for the US Senate, and a run at the US Vice Presidency.
These were dangerous doings and not infrequently cost the boldest ones their very lives. 126 test scientist were immolated, vaporized, or asphyxiated in a Russian ICBM test pad disaster. Marie Curie, who discovered xrays, thereby savings countless lives, died of exposure to radioactive materials. Early missionaries into Africa took coffins with them because they never expected to come home again.
God’s choices for your life may be a switch in a position. He may ask you to do what you’ve always done but do it in a better way. Or it may be something so unusual, so out of character for you, that you would not believe it if you were told every detail in advance. His request is usually to take just the first step. Even that step may seem silly or illogical. If you get a chance, see the movie War Room, out on DVD and probably Netflix. From the beginning to the end you will not believe the transition of the main character Tony Jordan’s career.
So keep your eyes and ears open. Who knows where the Lord may lead you.
A Guy Named Bob 