Burn The Lifeboats
Burn the Lifeboats
There's a story from history that still speaks powerfully today. In 1519, Hernán Cortés landed in Mexico with his men, facing overwhelming odds in a foreign land. As soon as they arrived, he gave a shocking order: burn the ships.
Why? Because as long as those ships remained, retreat was an option. The flames sent a clear message: there's no turning back.The only way was forward. And Cortés wasn't the first.
In 711 AD, Tariq ibn Ziyad landed in Spain and ordered his ships destroyed, telling his soldiers that the only way home was through victory. Ancient legends even say Alexander the Great did the same thing.
The principle is timeless: if you want to move forward with all your heart, you have to remove the option of retreat.
Biblical Parallels
The Bible gives us powerful pictures of this same truth: Elisha burned his plows when he followed Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21). He destroyed his old way of life so he couldn't return to it.
Israel crossed the Red Sea and watched the waters close behind them (Exodus 14). There was no going back to Egypt.Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
And in Luke 5, when Jesus calls Peter, James, and John, the text says: "They pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." They didn't just leave the nets - they left the boats. That's what it looks like to burn the lifeboats.
What's Your Lifeboat?
The truth is, many of us still keep a lifeboat tied up just in case following Jesus feels too uncomfortable. For some, it's financial security. For others, it's a toxic relationship, a hidden sin, or the comfort of staying in the familiar. For many, it's fear - fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown. But faith means trusting God enough to let go. To cut the rope. To set fire to the lifeboat and say, "Lord, I'm all in."
Moving Forward
Jesus calls us into the deep. That place feels risky and uncertain - but it's where His presence and His power are found. So here's the question: what lifeboat do you need to burn today? What's holding you back from fully trusting Him?
Maybe it's time to pray:
"Lord, I don't want to keep a way out anymore. I want to trust You with everything." When you burn the lifeboats, you step into a life of deeper faith, greater freedom, and unshakable hope. No turning back.