The Whole Purpose of God Pt 1

A few weeks ago, my family and I took a trip to the Thousand Islands, Alexandria Bay, New York. We were excited, tickets in hand, ready to explore the full package: the Yacht House, Boathouse, and the grand Boldt Castle.

We started with the Yacht House, then went on a ferry that took us to the castle grounds. As soon as we got off, we were captivated. The waterfront was alive. People were taking pictures, relaxing by the water, buying snacks and soaking in the beautiful scenery. It felt like we had arrived.

So we did what most people were doing – we hung around, enjoyed the view, took photos, laughed with the kids, and even bought a few things. After about 30 minutes, we decided it was time to head back.

But as we approached the ferry, our driver looked at us, confused.
“You’re done already?”
“Yes,” we replied.
He smiled and pointed toward a building.
“You didn’t go in there? That’s the actual entrance to the castle.”

We were stunned. We had spent all that time outside, enjoying the outer grounds, meanwhile, the real tour, the heart of the experience, was inside. Grand rooms, hidden passages, stories and architecture we hadn’t even seen. And what’s worse? We had already paid for it.

The Wake-Up Call

That moment stuck with me. Because that’s exactly how many believers live out their faith.

We come to Christ, we get the “ticket,” and then… we hang around at the edges. We take photos, show up at church, post scriptures, sing along, but never step into the fullness of what we were invited into. We celebrate what we see, but we miss what’s been prepared for us.

We’re satisfied with the surface, the waterfront.

But the Kingdom has so much more inside.

And sometimes, like our boat driver, we need someone to point us toward the entrance and say, “You haven’t even started yet.”

That’s what this series is about. I’m not here as an expert or a replacement for your walk with the Holy Spirit. I’m here as a fellow traveller, maybe even your tour guide for a moment, saying:

“There’s more. Don’t miss the main part. You already have the ticket. Now go inside.”