Greetings from Plymouth, Massachusetts! We are here enjoying family and friends – and we’re most grateful for the goodness of God.
Before our nation’s Civil War battlefields ran red to end the blight of slavery, and before our Founding Fathers broke the yoke of tyranny in the American Revolution, a band of Christians known as the Pilgrims sailed into freedom aboard the Mayflower.
Smooth sailing it was not. On November 11, 1620, they came ashore right here in Plymouth, and our constitutional republic is rooted in the faith of the brave men and women on that ship and the 51 who survived that first treacherous winter in New England.
The English Separatist, William Bradford – the Mayflower passenger who went on to become governor of Plymouth Colony – penned the words: “Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of God have all praise.”
As he formulated those thoughts, I have little doubt that Mr. Bradford had in mind the undisputable Word of God: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin …” (Zechariah 4:10).
Now we might expect “Almighty” God to do everything in big ways. With power and force. With unrivaled grandeur. Sometimes He does. In Genesis 1, God brings the entire universe into being in ways that are beyond our wildest dreams in terms of God’s character, nature, and ability to accomplish whatever He pleases with a single word. Billions of galaxies appear on the scene, with only a brief mention: “He made the stars also.”
By contrast, in Genesis 2, our fascination is drawn from the large to the small. It’s like a transition from a telescope to a microscope. Adam and Eve become the primary focus – just one small couple in the grand scheme of the galaxies. Yet, they matter to God. They matter a great deal. Before we know it, our hearts are hungry to know more about this God who works and loves in such big and small ways. Transcendent yet immanent. Eternal yet “God with us.”
I think the story of America echoes similar features. The “New World” was a big deal, but it started really small. To again quote Governor Bradford: “One small candle may light a thousand.” As history would play out, Winston Churchill would call the Mayflower Compact “one of the remarkable documents in history.” We now know that such a “small start” was a forerunner of the Declaration of Independence and our U.S. Constitution, which opens with, “We the people of the United States …”
That’s how our God works, you see. He writes the whole story. History is “His story” indeed. But we don’t always know where He’s headed.
After two failed attempts to leave England, the Pilgrims boarded the 90-foot Mayflower for their journey of 2750 miles. On the open sea, they encountered such violent storms that the beam supporting the main mast cracked. Miraculously, it was propped back in place with a large iron screw which had been loaded to help with home construction later. One young man, John Howland, was swept overboard – but marvelously rescued. Howland’s descendants include Humphrey Bogart, George W. Bush, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Only God can write such a story.
The Pilgrims gave us much more than an excuse to eat lots of turkey and dressing. And gravy! They brought with them the ideas that would give birth to a free nation. The men and women who came to our shores in search of freedom believed that all human rights come from God, and that the principles of liberty are worth dying for. Their most precious cargo was Bible truth. The form of bottom-up self-rule which the Pilgrims pioneered shaped our entire government. This was a polarity change on the world stage. The Pilgrim spirit is inscribed on our Liberty Bell: “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” Again, only God.
And the Pilgrims were a gracious people. Some claim falsely that the Pilgrims stole from those already here, and that the “First Thanksgiving” is nothing but a fable. But the historical record documents the exact opposite. I’ll quote the Native American author, Billy Falling: “The Pilgrims were kind to the Indians. They showed them love. They showed them compassion. They showed them the godly way to live.”
At the Constitution’s signing, Patrick Henry testified unequivocally: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” We’ve inherited a treasure.
Sometimes we bring friends to this shoreline, and they’re disappointed by “Plymouth Rock.” It’s just not as large or impressive as they had imagined. It seems like such a small start for a nation. But that’s my point. There are no insignificant beginnings when God is in the middle of them. When God writes the story, a tiny stone can slay a giant.
I’ll leave you with a rock in your shoe – something to think about after you finish this posting. The Greek word for “calculate” or “figure out” is the verb “psephizo.” We find it only twice in the New Testament. Jesus uses it in Luke 14:28, where He warns us to “count the cost” of authentic discipleship. Christ wants us to think seriously about what will be required of us if we truly follow Him. The word “psephizo” comes from “psephos” – which means “pebble.” Pebbles were used for math calculations.
As you and I navigate this crazy world, and follow hard after our Lord Jesus, we too are pilgrims. We’re strangers here, and getting stranger by the minute. You and I can expect anything but smooth sailing. But – when you add it all up – would you really want to follow anyone else? When we do the math of life, Jesus is the only right answer.
So light your candle, and “let the glorious name of God have all praise!”
Pastor Charles
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