Why "Burn The Ships"?

The name of this blog is inspired by a song from singer songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman. Burn The Ships tells the story of spanish explorer Hernando Cortez who would literally burn his crews ships upon entering uncharted territory. Knowing what there is to take hold of in this life and the life to come, I want to live my life burning ships with the perspective of never looking back and wishing for the "good old days" to return. Another way to look at it is to consider what Jesus calls his followers to self denial and death by taking up the cross (Matthew 16:24.)

Here are the lyrics of the song:

Burn The Ships

(Steven Curtis Chapman and James Isaac Elliott)

In the spring of 1519 a Spanish fleet set sail
Cortez told his sailors this mission must not fail
On the eastern shore of Mexico they landed with great dreams
But the hardships of the new world make them restless and weak
Quietly they whispered, "Let's sail back to the life we knew"
But the one who led them there was saying

[Chorus:]
Burn the ships, we're here to stay
There's no way we could go back
Now that we've come this far by faith
Burn the ships, we've passed the point of no return
Our life is here
So let the ships burn

In the spring of new beginnings a searching heart set sail
Looking for a new life and a love that would not fail
On the shores of grace and mercy we landed with great joy
But an enemy was waiting to steal, kill, and destroy
Quietly he whispers, "Go back to the life you know"
But the one who led us here is saying

[Chorus]

[Bridge:]
Nobody said it would be easy
But the one who brought us here
Is never gonna leave us alone

[Chorus]

Related Scripture

Luke 9:62
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Philippians 3;12-14
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

John 10:10
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full