Aye, Aye, Captain Jesus!
Thursday, March 30, 2023
“Many a rock might be escaped if we would let our Father take the helm; many a shoal or quicksand we might well avoid if we would leave it to His sovereign will to choose and to command.” – C.H. Spurgeon
What: Spring Break 1982. Where: Key West, FL.
My best friend, Brian, and I were traveling to Florida with a group of Christian students from the University of Delaware. After a few days in Delray Beach at his grandmother’s house, we headed to the Keys and eventually, to Key West. Once there, we rented a catamaran for four and were given a far-too-short orientation on how to sail it.
It took us a while to properly position the sail so that it caught the wind. Maneuvering the Hobie Cat out of the protective cove took a little longer. However, we were soon sailing relatively smoothly into the open ocean… which is when our troubles began.
The prevailing winds kept pushing us farther and farther from shore and we couldn’t figure out how to adjust the sail. And so, we soon found ourselves passing a buoy with a sign that read, “Southernmost Point in the United States.”
Gulp! That meant that unless we managed to turn around soon, our next stop would be Cuba… and I doubt Fidel Castro would have appreciated having some uninvited guests.
Fortunately, the gentleman who had rented us the boat saw that we were in trouble and so, he sailed out on another catamaran to rescue us. After tying the two crafts together, he towed us back to shore, which was humiliating to say the least.
How I wish Jesus Christ had been at the helm of our little boat. After all, He calmed the winds and the waves on numerous occasions and His closest friends were fishermen. Best of all, He is the Lord of all creation, which means that He would have no problem navigating our catamaran – and our lives – through unchartered water and back to safety.
Indeed, that is exactly what Jesus has done in my life from the day I trusted Him not only as Savior, but also as Lord. Aye-aye, Captain Jesus!
“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Mark 6:50 (NKJV)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
