THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EXPEDITIONS AND
JOURNEYS
I’ve never been a
history buff. In fact, I always hated history in high school and college
because I was a dysfunctional reader, and my grades in those subjects reflected
that. Last year I guess I had an out-of-body experience when I
actually went to the bookstore and bought a book on a history subject.
(Remember, it’s never too late for a new adventure). J The book was “Undaunted
Courage” by Stephen Ambrose follows the daily journal entries of the Lewis
and Clark expedition, detailing the scenery with its flora and fauna, friendly
and hostile encounters, hurdles and challenges, disappointments and surprises,
achievements and costly miscalculations. In the end, I have a better
appreciation for the word “expedition” and how it is under-used while the term
“journey” is so over-used.
Journeys are like what
people used to do, sailing the Atlantic aboard the Queen Mary on a month long
vacation to Europe. For the most part, everything was fairly predictable . . .
you’d be staying in various hotels or homes, dining in restaurants and cafes,
touring the sights and attractions, and grabbing some souvenirs for your
knick-knack shelf back home. Meanwhile, expeditions
are anything but predictable in that they usually set out with a poorly defined
route, combined with inherent dangers along the way. Every day becomes a
challenge of survival as you endeavor to reach a certain destination, not
knowing where to find adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical
care. You have no map to follow because you’re actually doing the mapping, and
others will be able to “journey” toward the same destination because of what
you’ve learned and discovered. That’s an expedition.
FORWARD MOTION
In 1801, when Thomas
Jefferson became the 3rd President of the United States, he was
perhaps the most intelligent man of his time given the spectrum of his knowledge
that came from his insatiable hunger to learn. His personal library was the
most extensive of any known to exist at the time, and the envy of the scholastic
world. For the most part, he had become a self- taught authority on all of the
known sciences of biology, botany, geography, cartography, physics, medicine and
astronomy, while at the same time being a connoisseur of literature and
philosophy.
His wealth was earned as
a Virginia tobacco farmer, and he knew by his trade the necessity and advantages
expanding his borders and perpetually acquiring more land, since the nature of
tobacco growing meant the repetitive depletion of the soil. In his opinion, one
could never have enough land – that status quo meant certain ruin, and what our
young country needed was a step forward to explore and possess that mysterious
frontier west of the Mississippi.
Jefferson had no
advocates in Washington, for he alone championed this idea before his Congress
endeavoring to convince them of the need to acquire the western two thirds of
the continent. He was absolutely convinced of the vast wealth of natural
resources waiting to be discovered in the great beyond . . . a land that he also
had estimated to be full of active volcanoes and prevalent with dinosaurs. The
propositions of discovery and advancement were exhilarating, while the threats
of uncertain adversities and dangers loomed in everyone’s
mind.
For Jefferson to get his
proposal approved and funded by Congress, a lot of promises and crafty
deal-making had to take place. Eventually, Congress did approve the venture for
the sake of expanding trade and commerce, appropriating funds to underwrite it.
Jefferson knew his estimates of the costs were probably not going to be enough
in the long run, but trusted the eventual success of this historic expedition
and sentiment of the populace to round off the edges of political
opponents.
GREAT IDEAS NEED TEAMWORK TO
SUCCEED
No one was more
intellectually geared for this advance than Jefferson, yet he could not forsake
his office and go. He had known Meriwether Lewis from his youth and saw him
develop into a man who would one day accomplish a great mission. Lewis was the
kind of young man that Jefferson could share his vision with and pour his
passion for learning into, so he personally tutored Lewis in several of the
scientific disciplines required to lead this expedition. Lewis was smart and
learned fast. He was the embodiment of the kind of adventurer Jefferson needed,
having the savvy and survival skills of a rugged frontiersman, as well as the
solidarity of purpose to be a pioneer and discoverer. What Lewis lacked in
assets, General Clark provided, bringing in the prowess and disciplines of a
seasoned military officer.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED
Even the most learned
and persuasive visionaries among us have their misconceptions and unfounded
conclusions about what awaits us if we choose to move forward. Benefits usually
come with risks. Jefferson knew that, and was willing to prove or disprove his
assumptions about a land of certain richness with its presumed perils. In the
end, there were the expected benefits and perils, but they did not materialize
as imagined. However, if they hadn’t followed through with the dream, their
misconceptions would have remained the standard of our understanding about the
west.
WE NEED EXPEDITIONS
Imagine if Congress had
refused Jefferson, and what we call America failed to advance westward,
remaining just those states east of the Mississippi for these last two hundred
years. Consider the Kansas wheat fields, the high plains, the Rockies,
Yellowstone and Yosemite, the northwest timber region and salmon, the Pacific
coastline, and so much more . . . all belonging to other countries. What if you
had to have a passport to visit Lake Tahoe?
We need to move forward
as individuals as well . . . refusing to be stuck in a never-changing mode . . .
avoiding for ourselves the law of nature like water that seeks its lowest
level. Living your one life within the bounds of a single dimension and missing
out on the opportunities to discover new ways to define yourself. The idea of
radical changes arouses lots of phobias about what could be out there in
discovery land. Jefferson’s supposition that dinosaurs roamed the western half
of the continent eventually was disproven, while a whole new world of wonders
and possibilities emerged.
AN EXPEDITION FOR THE CHURCH
God told Joshua and the
children of Israel that after crossing the Jordan, “wherever the soles of your
feet trod, you will possess it.” They had never forgotten the legendary reports
of old that the land beyond the river had its adversaries, while Joshua’s zest
for life and faith to follow God’s leading had made its indelible mark on them. Their future was at stake. So is ours. Through the apostolic
leadership of Paul we learned that the future of the New Testament church is
with the Spirit . . . that
“For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not
receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of
adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God, and if
children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest
expectation of the creation eagerly awaits for the revealing of the sons
of God.” Romans
8:14-19
Our future and glorification hinges on our reliance and
obedience to the Spirit. There is no other way and no other debate. We stand
on the shore with enemies behind us and before us. Who will be the first to put
a foot into the water?
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