Row the Boat

Karen

Keep Walking

GUIDING COMPASS: “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1 NIV).

NAUTICAL TERM: Row the boat: to propel forward.

DAILY CHOW: In our spiritual journey, progress can sometimes feel slow, like rowing a boat. However, a rowboat will get you there just like a speedboat. It is the same concept as walking and running. Both will get you there, but walking takes a bit longer.

I have friends who love to run. Every day, they take off to begin their marathon. But not me. I breathe heavily and feel as if I am having a heart attack. Indeed, in my estimation, that defeats the purpose of running.

It would be terrific if we could speed through life as a sprinter, but remember the story of The Tortoise and the Hare? The steady pace brought profitable results. The apostle Paul speaks about running a race, but he writes more about walking than running. This seems confusing and contradictory, but Paul knew we couldn’t run forever. Sometimes it’s necessary to walk. Consider his warnings to the early Christians to walk in the Spirit and not in vanity of mind. To walk worthy and to walk in love. He also encouraged them to walk as children of light. To walk circumspectly as new creatures.

Enoch, Noah, and Levi walked with God. This implies constant fellowship with God, obeying His laws, and living a life aligned with His will. Walking with God refers to a way of life with Him and is something we all can pursue. We find that the more time we spend walking alongside someone, the more we become like them.

DEEPER SEAS: As I walk daily with God, am I walking in His Law? Do I consider walking as profitable as running?

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 NIV).

SHIP’S ANCHOR: Lord, help me realize that my journey is not a marathon ending in exhaustion but a steady, continuous walk until I see my Savior.

CAPTAIN’S ENCOURAGEMENT: “Everyone must row with the oars he has.” ~ English Proverb

Baggywrinkle

Steve

Testing of our Faith

GUIDING COMPASS: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2 KJV).

NAUTICAL TERM: Baggywrinkle: material reducing cable chafe.

DAILY CHOW: The cables rub and tear as the sail whips in the wind. Sailors soften the abrasions to the corded line by plaiting fiber to create what looks like the baggy sleeve of a sailor’s shirt. The protective covering keeps the rope from fraying, unraveling, or becoming worn.

When we find ourselves in a flood or fire, Scripture assures us not to worry. God, our ever-present protector, will not let the situation bring about our ruin. He covers His own, providing security and comfort and sometimes even reducing the trial’s chafing.

There is a legend about Indian boys who undergo a rite of passage to become men. The father takes the boy into the woods at dusk and blindfolds him. The boy sits on a stump or log all night without removing the facial cloth. He must refrain from crying or calling out for help.

The mind plays tricks at night as the wind blows through the trees. The lad’s active brain visualizes wild animals getting close and imagines the sounds of ominous breathing. At daybreak, as light peeks through the blindfold, the boy removes the cloth, relieved to find his father beside him. The concerned papa attends the night vigil with his son―watching, listening, and ready.

Like the father’s love portrayed in our story, God’s love surrounds us like a baggywrinkle cloth, caring for us during the unknown and shielding us from Satan’s onslaughts.

DEEPER SEAS: How do I know my heavenly Father is by my side during testing?

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber” (Psalm 121:3 KJV).

SHIP’S ANCHOR: Dear Lord, when I am tempted to rip off the blindfold of faith and trust, let me sense the buffering defense You are giving at that precise time.

CAPTAIN’S ENCOURAGEMENT: “No danger can befall us with our Savior at the helm.” ~ Fanny Crosby