It seems that life is made up of one storm after the other, with peaceful stretches in between. When we feel tossed around by circumstances, it’s time to batten down the hatches and hold tight.
One of my favorite poems is The Voyagers by Van Dyke:
O Maker of the mighty deep, whereon our vessels fare,
Above our life’s adventure keep Thy faithful watch and care.
In Thee we trust, whate’er befall; the sea is great, our boats are small.
We know not where the secret tides will help us or delay,
Nor where the lurking tempest hides nor where the fogs are gray.
We trust in Thee, whate’er befall; the sea is great, our boats are small.
Whatever our dreams and ambitions, sometimes storms beyond our control blow us off course. At such times we need faith and trust in our Guide.
A friend of mine once told about being caught in a storm while in a boat on a lake. He was able to get under a bridge and hold onto the supports. The small boat pitched and rolled as the wind blew and lightning crashed. Sheets of rain and high waves nearly sent the his boat to the bottom but he held on and I’m sure he prayed. He made it safely through the storm but if the boat had filled with water, he would have gone under.
Two of my brothers spent part of their time in the Navy on board a ship. They said that during a storm, they were not in danger of capsizing because of the strength and weight of the ship but even at that, the pitching decks and the swell of giant waves were memorable. They were not in danger of sinking because the water washed off the decks. There were no holes in the hull and the ship stayed afloat.
One thing is clear in both stories–if the water doesn’t get inside the boat, and if it stays upright, it won’t sink. So, batten down the hatches. How? Hold tight to faith and trust in God, in Jesus. With faith as the cover, we’ll stay afloat.
I love the hymn by James Cleveland, “Master, the Tempest is Raging.” Here is part of it:
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons, or men, or whatever it be
No water can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and sky
They all shall sweetly obey thy will
Peace, peace, be still.
Note: batten down the hatches means to pull the tarps across the hatches, make things secure, because a storm is coming.
Speak Your Mind