The Lord called Me from the womb. From the body of My mother He named Me. . . . I will make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

Isaiah 49:1, 6

In the year 1271, an Italian explorer named Marco Polo set out on a long and dangerous journey across land and sea. He traveled to countries far away to the East—India, China, and Japan. When he returned to Europe, Polo brought back samples of valuable goods such as spices, ivory, and silk.

The Europeans liked these things and wanted more of them. So they began to look for different trade routes to the Far Eastern countries, which they called the Indies, after the name India. But land travel from Europe to the Far East was long and treacherous. The only known sea route at that time was around the continent of Africa.

Christopher Columbus believed he could sail to the Far East by going west across the Atlantic Ocean and around the world. He discovered the continents of North and South America. Many historians think that he was only looking for a better trade route to the Indies, and that his discovery of America was an accident. But was that all there was to it? Or was something else involved?

As you will see, God Almighty was using Columbus to work out His plan.

———

Christopher Columbus grew up in the seaport town of Genoa, Italy, where his father owned a wool shop. In 1484, he moved to Lisbon, Portugal, to work with his brother Bartolomeo, who made maps for shipowners. At that time, Lisbon was the seafaring capital of the world. Many ships came and went from its ports. The Portuguese were great explorers. They already knew the earth was round. If only they could find a better way to get to the Indies.

A God-given love of the sea took Christopher out on the ocean many times. He learned how to plot the course of a ship and how to locate its position. This is called navigation. He gathered the newest geographical information. He studied the latest maps, and he began to think about a voyage of his own.

Columbus kept a journal. In it he wrote that God Himself had given him the idea to sail west into the Atlantic Ocean. “It was the Lord who put into my mind the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies,” he explained. “There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit.”

Columbus sensed God’s leading. He could sail across the Atlantic and discover another trade route. But he could do something more. He could take the Gospel message to distant lands. Columbus was going to be a missionary explorer and spread the Good News about Jesus.

The young sailor marked charts and plotted the course. Yes, it could be done. Now he had to find a country that would give him enough money to carry out the mission.

Columbus first presented his plan to the King of Portugal. He also sent his brother to talk to King Henry of England. Neither king liked the idea, and both turned him down. So Columbus approached the country of Spain.

Columbus waited over four years for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to give him an answer. They said no. It was 1490, and Spain was at war with the Moors. The country could not afford such an expedition. The King and Queen told Columbus to come back after the war.

That day Columbus left the court to return to La Rábida, the monastery where he often stayed. Columbus walked slowly down the road. He felt sad and lonely. Doubts filled his mind.

“Where did I go wrong?” he mumbled to himself. His eyes filled with tears. With a sigh, he placed his hands in the pockets of his pantaloons.

“Maybe I’ve been wrong from the start,” he mumbled. “Maybe this is not God’s vision after all. Maybe everyone is right—it’s not a good idea.”

The head of the La Rábida monastery was a wise old monk named Juan Peréz. He was a man of great spiritual wisdom. That night Columbus talked with Juan Peréz and another monk named Father Marchena. The monks listened carefully as Columbus poured out his disappointment at being turned down by the King and Queen. They asked Columbus if he was still sure God was calling him to carry the message of Christ across the ocean. When he said yes, the three men prayed together and asked God to make it happen.

That night at La Rábida marked a turning point in the story of Columbus. Father Peréz was a friend of Queen Isabella. The next morning he wrote to her that he believed God’s hand was upon Columbus. He asked her to consider the proposal again. And she did. She sent word for Columbus to meet her and King Ferdinand in the city of Santa Fé.

In Santa Fé, Spain was celebrating their defeat of the Moors. By the time Columbus reached the city, the Spanish monarchs were ready to accept his idea. They wanted a special way to thank God for giving them victory over the Moors. And Columbus’s plan was a wonderful way to do it. He proposed to discover new lands for the glory of God and for Spain and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The King and Queen decided to send Columbus and to pay for the voyage.

Columbus had waited years for this moment! He stood straight and tall as the King spoke to him. But as he listened, his heart began to swell. He began to think about the riches and honor that would be his when he discovered these places.

“Your Majesty,” Columbus began, “I must thank you for this honor and for your faith in me. But I must request something else.”

“What is it?” King Ferdinand asked.

Pride filled the sailor’s voice. He spoke boldly.

“When I discover these lands,” Columbus said, “I want to be governor over them. I also want one-tenth of all the riches I find. And I want you to make me an admiral.”

The King and Queen stared at Columbus.

“This is too much!” the King replied angrily. “You’re dismissed at once!”

Columbus had let his sinful nature take control by asking for power and riches instead of trusting God to take care of him. And he almost lost his golden opportunity, but God was watching over him. The royal treasurer, a friend of Columbus’s named Luis de Santangel, persuaded the King and Queen to accept the proposal. Spain would finance the expedition after all.

———

Eight months later, three small ships called caravels, the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria, set sail “in the name of Jesus.” It was August 3, 1492.

A tall, red-haired man stood on the deck of the Santa Maria. His clear, blue eyes looked out at the great ocean around him. His rugged, brown face showed a man who had spent many years of his life on the high seas. As the ship rolled with the waves, Columbus held the rail with steady hands. He shouted commands to the sailors and watched them obey.

Several months later, on October 9, 1492, Columbus’s ships had stopped sailing and were drifting side by side in a calm sea. Martin Pinzón and his brother, Vincent, were captains of the Pinta and the Niña. They had come to the Santa Maria for an emergency meeting with the commander, Columbus. As the Pinzón brothers climbed aboard the Santa Maria, tension filled the air.

Columbus welcomed the two captains into his private cabin. His smile disappeared when he saw their expressions. They did not look happy.

“Commander, things are not going well,” Martin Pinzón began. “Our men are tired. They are scared and grumbling. We have not seen land for thirty-one days. You do not even know if there is land ahead.”

“We are too far away from Spain, sir,” Vincent continued. “And we don’t know what lies ahead. You must turn the ships around.”

Columbus sighed. Was there anything except water ahead of them?

Silently, Columbus walked over to the window of his cabin. He gazed out at the golden sun as it began to set below the sparkling sea in front of them. The Pinzóns wanted him to cancel the voyage. They were asking him to give up all his hopes and dreams. This voyage was his mission in life. How could he quit now? He had waited eight long years to set sail. He had been rejected and called a fool. If he turned back now, everyone in Europe would laugh at him. He would not get another chance.

The Pinzón brothers were waiting for his answer. Should he stop the mission and turn back? The commander turned to face his two captains.

“I know we’ve been sailing for a long time,” he began. “We’ve been heading due west from the Canary Islands for thirty-one days. I realize the men can’t take much more. I’ve heard their talk.” Columbus stopped and swallowed hard.

“All right,” he whispered. “We’ll turn back.”

With a heavy heart, Columbus glanced out the porthole again.

“But before we do, I want three more days on this course —just three days. You can tell the men,” he continued, “that if we don’t sight land on October 12, we will head home.”

The Pinzón brothers agreed and returned to their ships. The ships resumed sailing, but Columbus remained alone in his cabin. He could hear the groaning masts of the Santa Maria. He could feel her steady movement through the smooth waters. How he loved the ocean! How he had dreamed about this voyage. But that did not seem to matter anymore. It was all over now. Columbus slumped down at his desk and began to scribble on paper. He wrote his name, Christopher . . . Christo-ferens. In Latin his name meant “Christ-bearer.”

What would happen over the next three days? To turn back meant defeat. Columbus felt defeated. Yet God was still God, and He always answered prayers. Humbly, the commander knelt in his cabin and prayed for God’s help.

Over the next several days, amazing things happened. First, the three ships began to speed through the water. In fact, strong winds blew them along so quickly that the sailors grew frightened because they were sailing even farther from home! Then on the second day, sailors on the Pinta saw a reed and a small piece of carved wood floating in the water. These were definite signs of land. Everyone grew excited.

At ten o’clock that night, Columbus and one of his sailors thought they spotted a tiny light far in the distance. Columbus took this as encouragement from the Lord. The ships pressed on.

Then at two o’clock in the morning, the lookout aboard the Pinta sighted a low, white cliff shining in the moonlight. “Land! Land!” he cried.

The Pinta fired its cannon to signal the others. With just four hours left until the dawn of the third day, they had discovered land! It was October 12, 1492.

Immediately, the three caravels turned south to avoid hitting the reefs near shore. They sailed until daybreak. As the sun rose, they reached the southern tip of the island. The coastline began to glow in the morning sun. The sailors stood on the decks of their ships and silently gazed across the clear, blue water to the shore. They knew this day was important. They had discovered an unknown land three thousand miles from home. It was a day no one would forget.

At noon, the landing party rowed ashore. Every officer had dressed in his best uniform. Columbus carried the Spanish flag. As the men waded toward shore, they addressed Columbus by his new title: “Admiral of the Ocean Sea.” Their eyes filled with tears when they reached the beach. The sailors knelt in the sand and bowed their heads. The admiral prayed. He named the island San Salvador, which means “Holy Savior.” He and his men erected a huge cross on the beach in honor of the Savior. And then he thanked God for using them to proclaim His Holy Name in this part of the earth.

———

Short, dark-skinned people welcomed the explorers to San Salvador. These people believed the Spaniards were friendly white gods who had come down from heaven in canoes pulled by white clouds. They had never seen white men or sailing ships. Columbus called the natives “Indians” because he thought he had landed on an island in the Indies.

The Spaniards offered the Indians gifts of red hats and glass beads. Columbus wanted to treat them kindly, and he wanted to tell them about Jesus.

Since the natives did not speak Spanish, they used a type of sign language with the sailors. Columbus questioned them about the tiny gold ornaments worn around their necks. The Indians told him about the gold located south of San Salvador. The Spaniards got excited and decided to sail southwest in search of gold.

The three caravels set sail, stopping at many islands and putting up crosses in honor of the Lord Jesus. However, they did not find gold. When the Pinta turned off toward the island of Babeque, the Niña and the Santa Maria tried to follow. But bad weather forced the two vessels to another island. They named this one Española. And here, Columbus experienced a sea captain’s nightmare.

It was shortly after midnight on Christmas morning. The Santa Maria was floating calmly in a cove off the island. Everyone was asleep except a young ship’s boy, who was guarding the ship’s tiller. The boy did not notice the waves gently moving the ship toward shore. Suddenly the rudder under the ship became stuck. The boy cried out. Admiral Columbus ran topside to see what had happened. The Santa Maria had struck a reef! Disaster!

“Launch the longboat and carry the anchor astern!” Columbus yelled. “Maybe we can haul the ship off the reef before the tide goes out!”

The men hurried, but it was too late. The Santa Maria was stuck fast. As the tide went out, sharp rocks cut into the bottom of the ship. Water poured into her hull. The damaged vessel leaned over in the water. She would never sail again.

But at least the friendly natives from the island helped the seamen unload the ship’s cargo. And on Española the Spaniards finally found the gold they had been searching for. Here the admiral also set up the first European settlement in the New World. He called it La Navidad, which means “the Nativity.” Thirty-nine men volunteered to remain on Española as the first settlers.

Columbus boarded the Niña. It was time to return to Spain. The little caravel began to weave its way back through the islands. Three days out, she met the Pinta. The two ships sailed home together in the calm seas and sunny skies.

A steady wind pushed them through the waters of the Atlantic. For much of the voyage, the men thanked God for the good weather.

But then everything changed.

On the night of February 12, 1493, the Niña and the Pinta sailed into a huge storm. Great waves crashed down on the decks, tossing the ships to and fro. The winds howled. Heavy rains pounded the men as they labored against the waves. On the first night, the two little ships lost sight of each other.

Why? Columbus agonized as he prayed in his cabin. Why is this happening, Lord? Do You want us to sink? Don’t You want us to return to Spain with the good news about our discovery?