It was dark, musty, and crowded, with the smell of the ocean mixing with the remnants of seasickness and unbathed humans. Only five feet high, most of them couldn't even stand up and had to crawl to move around amongst the rats and cockroaches as they occupied the gun deck of the cargo ship.
About the length of a tennis court, the Mayflower wasn't designed for passengers, so when it left Plymouth Harbor on September 6, 1620, the 102 passengers and 25 crew members had to cram in and make it work if they were going to succeed in their journey to America.
With waves crashing into the boat, soaking everything on deck and in the holds, the journey was brutal. But they were determined and never lost sight of God and His call to plant a colony in the New World. As a way to stay focused and encouraged, each day they would read scripture to each other. A few weeks in, they read Psalm 107.
"Lord, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them." (Psalm 107:28-31)
What a trip! I can't imagine the level of frustration that must have built up amongst them, living like that for two straight months. Yet, when they arrived in Cape Cod, they voluntarily signed a formal and binding agreement, the Mayflower Compact, to create and live together under a civil government based on biblical principles. Pretty remarkable.
When the destination is important enough, and their faith in God and each other is strong enough, the right team can withstand any storms that come their way. They may get tossed around a lot, hammered by forces out of their control, and need to tolerate each other's issues as they arise, but through persistence, teamwork, and faith, they will make it safely into harbor.
Whether at work, with your family, or community, choose a righteous destination and commit to each other that failure is not an option.
You may have to step into each other's mess a bunch, or throw some unnecessary cargo overboard, but don't quit. Support each other and together praise the Lord for His great love and wonderful things He has done and is doing.
