fixed on the light.

 “Oh Lord, guide this ship…” an  elderly sea captain gripped the wheel of the ship and gazed out at the tempestuous sea. Thick, opaque fog swirled round about the weather beaten ship that tossed treacherously on the waves, making any chance to see what was ahead almost completely inevitable. The waves had started out at little ripples, and then turned into white caps, and soon thirty feet, then fifty, then sixty. He gripped the wheel, his knuckles white, and his heart, oh how his heart was gripped in fear when he looked down at the waves. He didn’t know how much longer his feeble vessel would be able to hold together. The winds howled fiercely ‘round about him as he peered anxiously, looking, looking, and praying fervently that surely he would be able to make it out alive. Oh, how he prayed that the fog would lift just a little tiny bit, just enough to see a little further. He prayed for calmer water.  The waves grew still bigger and the frail vessel was tossed and turned viciously about. He closed his eyes, sure that now his boat would for sure be torn to shreds. 

  And then a quiet whisper-“look at the horizon.”

  Surely not, the fog was so dense, there was no way he’d be able to see. But look he did, and… what was that? Was that actually a light? Had the fog actually lifted? Was it his imagination or was the water just a little calmer? Sure enough, a bright light swept across the sky. He knew he’d be okay now. Standing up straighter, he fixed his gaze on that light. The wind was calming down now, his heart was lighter and so much less fearful. There was light. He could follow it and he knew he’d be safe.

Everyone around us is sailing their own ship on their own sea of life. For some, the sea is calm, with just ripples. Others are sailing along and they notice that the waves are whitecapping. There are others whose ship is perilously tossing on 50 foot waves, and the wind is blowing so terrible hard that their heart is gripped with a terrible fear that they will shipwreck. The thoughts of, “God, what is Your Plan? I’m just being tossed about with no clue of where to go?” But then, instead of looking at those dreadful waves, we can choose to look up, to look at the horizon- and look, can you see that light that is sweeping its bright shining beam across the sky? That light, is my Jesus, and yours, and He is guiding us. So the grip on the wheel loosens a little bit, the fog lifts a little higher, the wind calms down to just a gentle breeze. Maybe the waves are still pretty big, but I don’t want to look down at them. I want to stay fixed on that Light, because that is what matters most.