There was a high-end...
Illustration
Object:
There was a high-end, custom-built sailing yacht that set out on its maiden voyage. The builders had spared no expense to install the most up-to-date technology. A visitor touring this sailboat would have been hard-pressed to find any natural material on board, such as mahogany or canvas; everything was made of metal, fiberglass, or some plastic derivative. Every high-tech navigational aid was on board, from an electronic compass to Loran to a global positioning system.
The crew ran into difficulty on the first night out, when the sailboat's electrical system experienced a massive failure. Everything went down, even the electronic compass. The radio, too, was dead. Suddenly, the crew had to find their way back to port. The sky was overcast. Not even the stars were visible to guide them.
No one had thought to bring along a simple, inexpensive device that mariners have relied on for centuries: an old-fashioned, mechanical compass. Even a pocket compass, such as a Boy Scout uses on the trail, would have made all the difference. Fortunately, the skipper knew the direction of the prevailing wind, and by keeping the wind to a certain side of his face, he was able to bring the craft back safely. He used the same, age-old navigational technique available to the Greeks and the Romans, who had crisscrossed the Mediterranean centuries before the compass made its way to Europe from China.
Joshua had no compass, either. He and his companions were wholly reliant on directions provided by the Lord. Without that guidance, where would they have been? Without that guidance, where would we be?
The crew ran into difficulty on the first night out, when the sailboat's electrical system experienced a massive failure. Everything went down, even the electronic compass. The radio, too, was dead. Suddenly, the crew had to find their way back to port. The sky was overcast. Not even the stars were visible to guide them.
No one had thought to bring along a simple, inexpensive device that mariners have relied on for centuries: an old-fashioned, mechanical compass. Even a pocket compass, such as a Boy Scout uses on the trail, would have made all the difference. Fortunately, the skipper knew the direction of the prevailing wind, and by keeping the wind to a certain side of his face, he was able to bring the craft back safely. He used the same, age-old navigational technique available to the Greeks and the Romans, who had crisscrossed the Mediterranean centuries before the compass made its way to Europe from China.
Joshua had no compass, either. He and his companions were wholly reliant on directions provided by the Lord. Without that guidance, where would they have been? Without that guidance, where would we be?
