So light a match, leave the past, burn the ships
And don't you look back
Hello reader, I am so glad you are stopping by!
Today I am so excited to share an article that my friend Ryan Elizabeth wrote. She loves writing fiction and non-fiction, reading, drawing, and playing her ukulele. She wants all of her writing and more importantly, her life, to glorify God, and she is striving to do so on her blog, Ryan Elizabeth Writes. After reading this article make sure to hop over there to check it out!
For KING & COUNTRY has been one of my favorite bands since I was a kid. I’ve always loved their songs, but the title track from their newest album has really spoken to me ever since it came out. It even has become one of my favorite songs! That song is Burn the Ships.
The phrase, “burn the ships,” refers to the true story of the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and his conquest of 1519. When he and his group of men arrived at their destination, the men were worried about moving forward. They hesitantly stayed in their ships away from the land, even though they were in less than comfortable living conditions. Finally, Cortés made a difficult decision. He commanded them to burn all of the ships. That way, retreat could no longer be easy, or even possible for them. There was no going back.
But until very recently, I didn’t know the other story behind the lyrics of this song. The root of the song’s meaning comes from a very difficult part of Luke’s life: a time when his wife, Courtney, struggled with addiction.
In an interview with CCM Magazine, Luke discussed the pain of the situation and what really happened. When Courtney was pregnant with their second son, she struggled with horrible sickness. She was given medicine to help with the pain, but she soon found herself unable to stop taking these pills. Thankfully, she found the help she needed before long, but that wasn’t the end of the story. Courtney still felt drawn to the pills because they were still there. One night, she had an epiphany and explained to Luke how she felt. She told him, “I’ve got to symbolize something, I’ve got to flush these pills down the toilet. I’m done. I’m done with the guilt and the shame. I’ve got to move into a new way. A new life” (CCM Magazine, 2018). And with that, she literally flushed the pills, burning the ships of her life. Near the conclusion of the interview, Luke said, “When she was flushing those pills, the analogy of burning the ships came to me: the story of the sailors not wanting to explore the new world, wanting the comforts of their boats. Their leader calls them out and says, “We’ve got to burn the ships. This is a new world” (CCM Magazine, 2018).
A few verses that I thought of after reading Luke and Courtney’s story can be found in Philippians 3:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (italics added).
I think those verses, especially the phrase “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” could go along with the song perfectly.
As Christians, it is a necessity for us to keep in mind what God commands us concerning moving on from sin (or simply painful experiences). We are supposed to be looking forward, remembering the incredible things Christ has prepared ahead of us rather than the things behind us. This isn’t at all to mean that we shouldn’t look back on the past at all. Jesus definitely wants His children to remember and be thankful for His death, and most importantly, His resurrection. Rather, we shouldn’t be longing for our “ships,” which could be past sin, our lifestyle before we came to know Christ, worldly things we’re hanging on to, etc.
Another couple of verses that could very easily relate to “Burn the Ships” can be found in Galatians.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” -- Galatians 2:20-21
The one thing I want to emphasize from this song is the theme of God’s forgiveness hidden behind it. Even though “Burn the Ships” doesn’t explicitly have the word “forgiveness” in the lyrics, the message is very clear. You’ve left the past in the past. Jesus has made all the wrongs in your life right because of his death and resurrection.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” --1 John 1:9
As a believer, you can rest assured that you are forgiven, and there is no turning back! God will never give up on you, no matter what.
Are there any “ships” in your life that you should burn? If there are, I hope you find this song and article to be an encouragement to you!
Thanks so much for having me guest post, Juliet! 🥰
ReplyDeleteTotally! I love how you wrote this!
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