Whatever floats your boat.

Wake up, Master. Don't you care? Was the miraculous rescue from the forces of nature limited to the days when Jesus was present on earth? Is God really sovereign over the cosmos, including the earth and all its elements? If so, why doesn't God stop wars? Why do children suffer from cancer? Why does hostility invade homes and splinter relationships? Why do boundaries of exclusiveness divide us over race, color, sexuality and creed?

There is a modern saying; Someone will say to you … Whatever floats your boat? It sort of means whatever keeps you alive and happy.
What is your boat? What is it that keeps you afloat in this often violent and imperfect world?
There is a poem by Australian poet and cartoonist, Michael Leunig called Love and Fear which makes the point that there are only two things that motivate us.

There are only two feelings.
Love and fear.
There are only two languages.
Love and fear.
There are only two activities.
Love and fear.
There are only two motives,
two procedures, two frameworks,
two results.
Love and fear.
Love and fear. 

For some it is fear. Fear motivated the panic of the disciples, and it motivate the bloodshed and horror of the David and Goliath, and also Saul’s response to David. The defensive power of fear can be our first response when we are surrounded by difficulties and unanswered questions and our own human weakness. 
Arguably our modern politics is motivated by fear; fear of the refugee, fear of not having enough, fear of terrorists, etc.
It is a powerful motivator. Yet Jesus tells us and shows us, that an even more powerful motivator is love, compassion, hope in the eternal power of God.

Whatever floats our boat? Let it be love. Let it be the almighty love of God.
Rev Gordon Bannon