an even keel

 

When I was in the Navy we learned about ship stability.  There is a lot of science in properly loading a ship for balance and safety.  One of the biggest factors is the amount of liquid (water or fuel) that is able to slosh around in the tanks.  Another factor is the placement of weight high and low in the ship.  These characteristics are extremely important when it comes to how well the ship will recover when pushed over by the force of wind and waves.  We know that the ocean isn't often placid and often the waves can be the height of a 2 story home, from trough to peak.  Every ship is pitched from front to back and side to side by these great forces outside the hull.  When they build the ship, the first thing they do is lay a keel.  This is the strong backbone of the ship.  As they proceed with construction, they build strength and buoyancy into the hull and are careful to distribute weight evenly.  I was thinking about the challenge we have keeping our eyes on Jesus.  We know that we really ought to fix our eyes on the Lord and follow Him closely.  Yet, in honesty, none of us is able to do that continually.  Since we are human beings, with many weaknesses we are knocked "off balance" often by temptation and desires and our tendency to focus on self.  So, I think the picture of a strong keel and a ship design that permits recovery from these forces is a healthy view of how we can see our ship "righted" when the forces of life push us off center.  How about you?  When you find yourself off center and you know you've allowed temptation to push you past the point of balance does your spiritual design bring you back upright?   When we have learned to be honest about our sin nature, we can say the same thing about sin that the Lord does ("confess") and find our ship swing back upright, no matter how far over we've swayed.  Of course, we might want to look at how we've loaded our ship.  If we've placed the wrong cargo too high in our structure, we may make it more likely to tip!

 

blessings,

Rob Smith

 

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.