May 26 Ships at Sea

May 26

Ships at Sea

Ps 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships,

that do business in great waters

Men of the sea are used to sailing in rough seas and stormy weather. But this storm was different. The wind howled, the huge waves grew even higher and filled experienced seamen with great fear. The waves slammed into the ship with such force the ship was nearly torn apart.

The storm showed no signs of letting up, but grew ever more fierce until the terror filled crew threw the ship’s cargo overboard. Even that did not help. The ship and the entire crew were about to be lost.

Unlike in the perfect storm or an episode of the Deadliest Catch this storm was not a combination of weather systems. This storm was caused by the disobedience of Jonah, and did not subside until they threw him overboard.

I am writing this while aboard a ship in the north Atlantic and the verse above has come to mind several times; “They that go down to the sea in ships….”  I am reminded of Jonah’s disobedience and Paul’s shipwreck, or the two accounts of Jesus stilling storms that scared the disciples witless. Psalms 107:23-31 reads like an account of the storms that ended when Christ told the winds to be still.

But today ships are much better equipped to withstand or avoid storms. Satellites beam down pictures of where storms are, advanced Doppler radar provides specific data on a storms direction and force, and computers can predict a storms intensity and direction. Modern technology provides the information for ships to avoid severe storms.

That may be fine for ships but what does modern technology provide for men. Psalm 107:26-27 describes how men react to great storms.

26…their soul is melted because of trouble.

 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,

 and are at their wits' end.

Modern science and technology has the answer for that as well.  First give up the old fashioned idea of a personal god. Those old Bible stories were just traditional myths. Fear is only an improper way to perceive things. Look for something that is positive and permit positive thinking to remove your fears. If you are unable to do that then take drugs that modern medicine has created to alter how your mind works. Listen to popular songs that tell you “Don’t worry – Be Happy!”

Book shelves are filled with “self-help” books. Motivational speakers have the answer for the thousands that attend their lectures. But unlike ships man is now no better prepared to handle the storms of life than he was 2000 years ago. In fact he is now less prepared.  The Biblical solutions that have been there throughout the centuries are now rejected by the world at large. It would be good for us to be reminded of the Biblical way Christians should weather the storms of life.

Psalms 107:28 contains one of the foundational, but too often ignored, ways God can help us.

Ps 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble,…

Why don’t people come to the LORD when they have trouble?  Some don’t believe he even exists, others do not know Him, those who do know Him may not believe He can help them.  They are the people of Little Faith. But perhaps the main reason Christians do not call upon Him in time of trouble is found in Revelation 3:17.

Re 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and

increased with goods, and have need of nothing…

Because we have so much and are so self-reliant we have need of nothing. Some people are driven to drugs, alcohol, even suicide because they have exhausted everything they knew and the storm they are facing has not been calmed. 

Our meditation for today is to remember the psalmists example

Ps 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee:

for thou wilt answer me.

Instead of making God the last thing we call upon we should call upon Him first. It is not a sign of weakness. It is learning to obey and recognize we cannot do anything in our own strength. The answer to our prayers seldom falls out of the sky and lands on our lap. But God does direct circumstances, our thinking, and provides us both direction and strength to survive the storms of life.

When that happens too often we think we have resolved our own problem. I love the illustration of the roofer who was sliding down a very steep roof on a tall building. He did the right thing. He prayed that God would help him. Just before he fell off the roof his coveralls snagged on a roofing nail and saved him. His response was to pray again. This time his prayer was “Oh, God, never mind my other prayer. I took care of the situation myself!”

Psalms 107 repeats a better response than the roofer had in verses 8, 15, 21, and 31.

Ps 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works

to the children of men!

An illustration that I think best illustrates the cooperation between God’s enablement and our efforts is in the following. When you find yourself in a small lifeboat in the ocean what should you do? Two things. Pray to God, and row toward shore!

When we encounter the storms of life and feel fear rising within us we should start by telling the LORD. When the storm has past, as they surely shall, we should be as anxious to praise the LORD for His goodness and His wonderful works to us.

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing;

but in every thing

by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known unto God.