Anchored in Christ: Staying Spiritually Seaworthy
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I love the way large ships glide through oceans with great presence and confidence. I love the fact that they can be a self contained operating space with mastery of the ocean. For cruise ships, I am tickled that people pay to experience the ocean with joy and confidence. This pleasure is based on an assumption that the ship is a safe space for them to explore and enjoy an incredible experience. And that people can so confidently believe that within the vessel there is all they need for the utmost pleasure in their journey. This assumption is unrivalled by the confidence and pride the crew have and take in any kind of vessel.
Watching a programme on how aquatic life gets stuck to the hull of a vessel while it sails was a revelation for me. I thought that the mere fact that it was in motion and has a level of vibration should limit the friction and therefore the ability of lifeforms to stick to or rest on it. I thought this existential threat would be a deterrent. More interesting than this ability is the effect - too much aquatic life on a ship can slow it down, corrode its protection and even in worst cases disrupt the balance and cause the vessel to sink. Often the deeper the vessel the more danger these life form pose. The ship always has to be anchored to be in a place where the effect of these parasitic lifeforms can be mitigated. This makes anchoring the most important bit of the ships journey through its life. The anchor does not only represent where a ship comes to rest, but it is at the place where it is anchored that many activities that define its seaworthiness and the success of its next trip occur. This includes all activities that relate to it having the supplies it needs to critical maintenance.
One of the maintenance activities is the check to ensure that it is still or optimally sea worthy. Most importantly, it is at the place of anchor that the vessel is inspected for all manner of sea creatures that stuck to the hull that may be detrimental to sailing are removed. Once removed, the hull is restored to its original condition. This ensures that the ship can continue to operate without this being a hinderance for its next voyage. The bible is very clear on how we too are like ships need to be anchored and cleansed and refreshed for our purposes.
In 2 Timothy 2:20-21
If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument [vessels, KJV] for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (II Timothy 2:20-21). The tongue has also been likened to the rudder of a ship.
James 3:4-5 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
Understanding ourselves as vessels, necessitates the need to understand that we too are needful of rest, checks and refreshment making the need for an anchor an absolute necessity for everyone. This place of rest and refreshment may look different for all humans . What is needful to achieve this is also different, but ultimately as believers, our anchor and place of rest is the same, it is in Christ Jesus. When it comes to the time of rest, let us use it as an opportunity to have a good look at ourselves and like the vessels know that some things may have attached themselves to us, like the aquatic life, as we journey through life.
These too, like vessels, can entangle and derail us. The bible speaks of the need to throw off things that hinder and entangle us in Hebrews 12:1-3 (New International Version)
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
As we journey through life, the thing that stick to us and entangle us do not do so with our permission. We need to know that these hazards are a hazard of living that we may not escape, so even if we escape them, we need to set down anchor to check our reality. To do this we need to set out time, anchor and check, knowing that this is necessary to ensure that we do not sink under the weight of the hazards that have attached themselves to us without our knowledge and permission. We do this through prayer and reflection as we navigate our day. This includes starting our day with prayers and ending it with prayers. Reading and reflecting on His word and the renewal of our minds that results. The word and our reflections on it will identify the often hazardous thinking and remove these hazards that have either stuck to us or entangle us without our knowledge. Yes! It is our commune with Christ and the Word that will refresh and restore us, making us sea worthy for the journey ahead. Our anchor is Christ in Whom we are able to anchor and re anchor ourselves.
Our identity based on everything else may be threatened, but if we have a fully formed identity in Christ and we return to it as our anchor, no matter what attaches itself to us as we journey. Our anchor in the reality of what Christ has done for us is ever present. It is in the present moment, within reach, so is our desire to please Him and our hope in Him. As a result of our anchor our vessel can sails in His love for us alone. And an acceptance of this is how we live this out our lives. We love ourselves and others because we live out of where we have anchored ourselves. Anchored in the one who ransoms our lives. Anchored in a love we know is unconditional, that reminds us that we are not kind of a big deal.
You are a big deal ONLY because Jesus ransomed you! Our time should therefore not be spent in despair or in dispute of this, but in thinking about the magnitude of what this means and living out of it.
@Faith with Finesse we have a variety of books and planning guides (Journals) to help you stay anchored to God.