Stay the Course
The sky overhead was a brilliant hue of blue. Fluffy, cotton like clouds, lazily floated by, not in a hurry, and with no particular place to go. It was a perfect day to be on the water. The ocean shimmered like diamonds, as gentle waves rolled past, beckoning the boat to follow.
On the starboard side, a pod of dolphins swam close, curiously exploring this shiny white and blue creature riding the waves with them. After some playful banter, they rushed ahead, bored with their find that didn’t seem to be nearly as exciting as first hoped. A few of the babies, leapt out of the water, as if trying to give their discovery one last opportunity to join in the festivities. Moments later, they were gone.
The crisp, white sails were in full billow by early afternoon, and the salty air held a sense of anticipation of things yet to come. Whispers on the wind, only the sea and its inhabitants could understand. The captain lifted his eyes upward, perceiving a slight change in the cloud formations. He had been here before. Years of experience, evident by the lines on his face, afforded him the ability to interpret the signs above. The open waters may think it could hide its intentions from him, but he would prove it wrong.
Walking about the deck, he began to direct the crew to prepare for the impending storm. Seasoned deckhands moved quickly into action, not even lifting their eyes skyward; while the young lads still wet behind the ears, lifted chins upward, shaking their heads in confusion and disbelief. All seemed as it was just a short moment ago? No dark clouds looming. The wind was strong and steady, but it had been as such all day. What did the captain see, that they could not?
Within the hour, the sky seemed to match the prophetic words of their leader. Finishing all of the last minute preparations, the team was ready when the first roll of thunder reached their ears. Still roughly five to six nautical miles away, they estimated. The wind began to shake the mast, as if asking where the sails had gone. The captain had ordered them dropped earlier. They would not be caught off guard.
The claps of thunder increased in volume, as streaks of lighting ripped through the now dull, gray sky. It was approaching hard and fast. Waves rose higher, and the boat began its tango with the ocean. Back and forth, up and down; the dance was something to behold. The crew scurried about, checking for any loose ties or missed cargo in need of securing.
The rain fell heavy as lead, as if unseen creatures, perched atop storm clouds, hurled bucket loads of liquid directly onto the deck. Several of the men lost their footing, and slid haphazardly from one side of the boat to the other. It was a storm, the likes of which many had not seen. The captain remained steady at the helm. Muscles burned in his arms and back, as he fought against the boat’s desire to crash into a nearby rocky, reef.
Steady! Hold! Stay the course! The words kept playing over in his mind, willing himself to stand firm, despite the opposition. The veteran sailor would not give up, nor back down. For nearly an hour he fought, as the sea lashed all of its anger upon the vessel.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the youngest deckhand turn as green as the seaweed being churned up by the waves, and he chuckled within himself. He could still remember his maiden voyage, and the sickness that struck his body, when met by the ocean’s evil work from an unrelenting tempest which arose on their journey. But the youngster held his ground, despite his unfortunate condition. AH! He’s going to be a good one! Fine sailor he will be one day!
Just when it seemed the crew, the vessel and even the captain couldn’t take much more, the winds began to subside. Slowly the boat steadied, as the waves relented their temper filled barrage. Occasionally the water would rise up, and a loud smacking sound would land on the side of the ship; the ocean signaling its dislike of losing the battle. But lost it did, and the blue and white boat would sail on for another day. The newbies learned some valuable lessons, and grew from the experience. The seasoned sailors were able to refine their skills and sharpen their senses even more. The day ended in victory.
“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus spoke these words to His disciples while here on Earth. It was for them then, and it is for us now.
I don’t know about you, but as I look around, this world continues to grow darker, like the sky in my story above. Thunder and lightning in the form chaos, winds blowing hard and fast, confusing our thoughts and a never ending barrage of wave after wave of temptations and struggles crashing into our vessels.
I want to encourage you today, to keep your eyes on the prize. Every storm, every battle will all be worth it in the end, when we see Jesus face to face. If you are new to this faith journey, hang on like the young deckhand. There will be situations that arise in your life, that will turn your stomach and change your face to an awful shade of green. You do not fight alone. God is with you! Most importantly, when the foundation stops rocking - what did you learn from the storm?
If you are a seasoned Christ follower, allow those times of hardship to sharpen your faith, and grow your discernment. Share that knowledge with those just developing their relationship with the Lord. Your stories of survival, will be hope for someone else one day. There is a reason John tells us we “overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony.” (Revelation 12:11) Most importantly, when the foundation stops rocking - what did you learn from the storm? We should never stop growing in Christ Jesus, nor get to a place where we think we have it “all figured out”.
Again, I want to offer you hope. If you are walking a dark valley right now, you are not alone. I am praying for you, and asking for strength over all the saints during this season. Please do not hesitate to reach out and let me know if there is something specific I can be praying about for you.
Be relentless in your pursuit of Jesus. When the devil comes at you hard, dig your heels in deeper - unyielding and unmovable. Be like the captain, as he gripped the helm and fought the opposition:
Steady! Hold! Stay the course!