Epic journey inspires awe

NINETY-FIVE years ago today, on 5 December 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set sail on the final leg of his journey to reach Antarctica.

His team aimed to be the first to cross the continent - one and a half times as big as the United States - from one coast to the other via the South Pole. It was a remarkable project even for an era that already had more than its fair share of heroic tales.

Shackleton planned meticulously for the expedition, expecting to face a whole range of hardships. But the expedition party never set foot on Antarctica.

Their ship, Endurance, was crushed by the drifting ice, and survival became their first priority. In an amazing story of courage and heroism none of Shackleton's party died, although it was May 1917 before Sir Ernest finally arrived home in Britain.

We can be thankful that not all journeys end up like that but, whenever we travel, organisation is vital. Decisions need to be made about what is to be taken, the route mapped out and suitable resting places found.

It would be foolish to embark on a long journey without making some practical preparations.

In the Christmas story the wise men, or ‘magi' as they were known, travelled extraordinary distances in search of a new king. They started off not knowing for sure where their journey would take them.

‘After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, during the time of King Herod, magi from the east came to Jerusalem' (Matthew 2:1 New International Version). This expedition would have taken planning and preparation. They saw an unusual star and set out to follow it to who knows where, for who knows how long.

When they finally arrived where the star stopped they discovered Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Life is often thought of as a journey. For many people, like the magi, the journey has included an encounter with Jesus. That encounter has been life-changing. It has helped them to cope with the difficulties life can bring and provided direction when they've not been sure which way to go.

Two thousand years ago the wise men followed the direction of a star to find Jesus. Today we can follow Jesus to find direction for our lives.

Salvation Army UK - War Cry 5 December 2009