In the depths of the Great Depression, a group of working-class young men, led by the determined Joe Rantz, came together to form an unlikely crew at the University of Washington. Despite economic hardship, personal struggles, and lack of experience, they forged a tight-knit team under the guidance of their brilliant Coach, Al Ulbrickson, and their boat builder, George Pocock. Through grueling training and sheer grit, they overcame the odds, defeating elite American teams before heading to Nazi Germany for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. There, in a stunning upset, they rowed to gold in front of Hitler himself, proving that teamwork, perseverance, and trust can triumph over adversity. (Taken from “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel Brown).
The account of the willingness of this team to make a difference against all odds reminds us of the power of the human will. This is even more significant for the follower of Christ when we partner with our Creator in serving Him. “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,” (Isaiah 30:15). I have found God sufficient for the greatest challenges in my life. Yet, I have often become the barrier.
This excellent book about these men illustrates the difference individuals can make when they are willing. It is amazing what God can do with and through His people when they are willing. The challenge with willingness is it requires that we step into the unknown, doing things that are often scary, painful and challenging. It almost always requires us to operate outside the bubble of our control. It is a call to trust God.
I am reminded that willingness is a lifestyle of leaning into God. Think back in your mind to all the times that God was working in the lives of the people of Israel. We could list their deliverance from the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea, the provision of food and water, God’s continued oversight and his direction through the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. The greatest barrier was not God, but their unwillingness to trust Him!
Our verse also reminds us that the things we truly desire are the result of our willingness to step into what God is doing. “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” The problem was not on God’s end!
You may be asking, “So where do I start?” Let me suggest two steps. First, invest in developing your relationship with God daily. I have not found a substitute for time in God’s Word, prayer and ministry. The Apostle Paul reminds us that our first response to God’s grace is to work out developing our faith. “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12b–13).
The second is to step into the challenges that God drops in our path (Exodus 13:18). When faced with a seeming insurmountable challenge, God’s people and even Moses complained about the situation (Exodus 14:10-14). God’s response to Moses and the people: “The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.” (Exodus 14:15).
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
-Pastor Joe Parkinson