Setting Sail…

“And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong”
James 3:4

Ships are designed to be in, move in, and work in water. Ships can be huge and move about under their own power. But ships are still pushed around by the wind & waves. Even the greatest ships of our day must allow for wind & currents in their navigation or they’ll go off course, never reaching their destination.

Today’s verse reminds us that our lives are like ships that are pushed around by winds & currents. The good news is we have help. We have a pilot and His name is Jesus. He’ll guide & steer us into a great future. He’ll use every wind of life & resistance of circumstances to our benefit. He’ll steer us. He’ll perfect us. He’ll get us safely to our destination. But if we don’t yield to Him He cannot be our captain & pilot.

The strongest & most consistent wind that blows in life is the fierce wind of adversity. Adversity buffets & pushes us around. Adversity takes us in the wrong direction. When this wind blows we must remember that we have a pilot who’ll steers our lives to safety. Jesus is the captain who’ll adjust life’s rudder for the winds of adversity so we accomplish the direction He has set.

This week, let’s remember that Jesus is the pilot of our lives. No matter what circumstances we’re immersed in, what winds of adversity blow at us, He is able to steer & navigate us to our destination. Let’s allow Jesus to make the small shifts in our life that’ll result in the greatest outcomes ahead. With Jesus at the helm we are heading towards calm waters & a beautiful destination.

Setting Sail…

James 3:4 “Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.” [NKJV]

Our lives are like a ship on the move. Ships are designed to stay in water, to move and work in that surrounding. Ships can be huge and can move under their own power however the wind and waves can still push them around. Even the greatest cruise liners of the 21st century have to allow for wind resistance in their navigation otherwise they will go off course.

There are many winds that blow at our lives. The strongest and most consistent of these is the fierce wind of adversity. Adversity will push us around but we must remember that we have a pilot, a captain, steering our life. A ships captain moves the rudder and the ship turns and uses the winds of adversity as well as the resistance of the water that it is immersed in to accomplish the directions of the captain. Whatever circumstances we are immersed in, whatever winds of adversity are blowing at us, let the pilot, the captain, Jesus Christ steer us on to our destination.

Even the smallest move of a rudder will transform the direction of the largest ship. In our lives a small shift in direction can often result in the greatest of outcomes. We are to hold fast to the instructions of Jesus for our life, asking Him to steer our life to its destination. Use the powerful winds of adversity and the resistance of circumstances to accomplish His purpose in your life this week. Yield to our pilot, our captain Jesus… He knows where to take your ship!