I grew up a “Navy brat.” Born at the Naval Academy where my dad served as a chaplain, I lived on both coasts and the Gulf of Mexico growing up. Our house decor included seashell soap dishes, paintings of ships at sea, and an autographed photo of Admiral Chester Nimitz (whom I called “Grandpa Nimitz”) signing the Instruments of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri. We watched the annual Army-Navy football game on TV.
And I learned to like seafood!
One difficulty that kept me from following in my father’s footsteps, however, is the fact that I am incredibly prone to motion sickness. As a baby my stomach did not behave well on airplanes. In middle school I spent a day “below deck” on a friend’s family yacht while everyone else watched the America’s Cup Races off Newport, R.I.. In my forties I dreaded one particular family reunion held on a cruise ship. And I even got sick while watching an obnoxiously out of focus movie at the theater last year!
But ships and boats factor heavily in the Bible, from Noah’s lifesaving Ark and Jonah’s attempt to avoid Nineveh, to Jesus calming the storm and Paul’s voyage to prison. Because of some daring folks’ willingness to cast out to sea, we can learn lessons that apply even to landlubbers like myself.
One main point of these nautical adventures is God’s faithfulness. They teach us that He’ll meet us at our point of need, whether fearful or hopeful, confused or determined. He’s eager to help us get where we need to go.
But the precariousness experienced while riding atop the water reflects the possible dangers we face in life. Paul reminds us, We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). And James explains, The one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6). We can base our attitudes and beliefs on our circumstances, on another person’s opinions, or on God’s Word. The resulting actions will either send us adrift or keep us anchored.
An incident on Peter’s fishing boat illustrates this. In John 21 after Christ’s resurrection Peter impulsively went fishing and his friends followed. After toiling all night and catching nothing they felt discouraged and doubtful. But Jesus, calling to them from the shore, suggested casting their net on the other side of the boat. So they obeyed and caught so many fish they could not haul them all in!
Jesus offered help to those discouraged and weary fishermen but they had to believe His words. He proposed a solution but they had to carry out His instructions—despite how they felt! Only then did their hope renew and their faith abound.
I’ve found that as we sail on life’s ocean, God is faithful to help us navigate. And when we follow His directions and put faith in His Word we can survive any storm.
