Pump It Up! Live Elated, Not Deflated Through Disappointing Daysنموونە

Aye aye Captain

Today, we are going to focus on Jesus as the Captain of our ship and the importance of developing a deep sense of trust in him, especially during slow dinghy days.

To trust someone means to believe they are reliable and strong, to have confidence that they have the ability to help us. Trust is a bold and confident hope in another person, which leads us to having a strong sense of security, being safe in the knowledge that they are in control.

A Captain's job is to navigate a ship through adverse weather conditions, manage complicated logistics, and make sure passengers, crew, and cargo are safe.

So with that being said, do you truly trust Jesus, your Captain? I personally struggle with trust because I struggle when I’m not at the helm! It’s hard for me to fully let God have control. I love to plan and prepare, which is a real strength, but can also be a blockage to trust. I also found that I often felt alone in my dinghy - I couldn’t see or sense my Captain.

The scriptures for today are all stories from the Bible about Jesus in boats/near to the sea. We can draw much encouragement from each account, and I hope these passages will help you to trust your Captain in your slow dinghy days.

Jesus is asleep in the storm. This highlights the need for us to trust he’s in control even when he seems inactive, absent, distant, or like he’s asleep on the job. Jesus is very much steering, even if it appears he’s snoozing.

Miraculous catch of fish. We must develop a level of trust where we acknowledge that Jesus knows best and that what he asks of us is the right thing to do - even when it makes no logical sense. He sees the bigger picture.

Walking on the water. We can trust that our Captain is there to catch us as we step out in faith - he will not let us drown.

Jesus makes breakfast on the beach. Trust that Jesus, your Captain, is kind and cares about your physical needs.

Jesus is completely and utterly trustworthy. We can have a calm and confident assurance that he will steer us to the next destination in his timing. We can live with a sense of security, even in a flimsy feeling dinghy, because our Captain is most definitely on board and in control.

Reflection

Do you trust your Captain?

Which of the biblical boat stories most speaks to you right now?