[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections published by Horley Baptist Church during November 2020]
In the seafaring world there is a rite known as ‘crossing the line’. It is a form of initiation for mariners who cross the equator for the first time; they are presented to King Neptune who then accords them the status of fully-fledged seafarers. Its origins are lost in time but it is believed to date back to at least the Phoenician sea traders, maybe as long ago as 2500BC. I recall one such ceremony in the late 1950s, when King Neptune came aboard to oversee the festivities, which included the inductees engaging in balloon fights whilst balanced on a greasy pole suspended over the ship’s swimming pool.
In modern parlance, ‘crossing the line’ has acquired a more serious meaning. It is often used for an action that goes beyond the limits of prevailing social expectations. However, if enough people cross the line frequently enough then the lines will move. Similarly, people involved in treaty negotiations often claim to have certain fixed objectives, variously called red lines or lines in the sand, from which they are unwilling to retreat. The trouble with lines in the sand is that the tide comes in and the lines disappear.
In Exodus 19 we read of how God instructed Moses to set a boundary around the base of Mt Sinai. God was about to deliver the Ten Commandments and He needed to impress upon the people the sanctity of the occasion. There were severe consequences for any man or beast who crossed that line.
There is another meaning for crossing the line. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews alluded to it when he said: “let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”. In a sporting context, crossing the line means that the immediate effort of the race is over, the runner can relax and be thankful for what has been achieved. That writer likened the Christian life to a race but we should be encouraged that is not a sprint where the only winner is the one who crosses the line first; rather is more like a marathon where all those who finish the course are winners and the only losers are those who don’t try.
We have not crossed the finishing line yet. What have you got lined up for the rest of the day?
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
