A Nautical Analogy

When I graduated from high school I was given a gift from my parents to honor my accomplishment. They gave me a charm that was in the shape of a compass. I quickly attached it to a chain and wore it as a necklace. This gift not only means a lot to me because it was given to me by my parents, but because I value the symbol of the compass. The concept of a journey and guiding with true direction is what appeals to me. This relates so clearly to our walk with God. There is a verse I commonly tie to my compass and that verse is PROVERBS 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; but in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight.” God is our true North and the Bible is our compass.

This past August I said good-bye to a close friend of mine as he set off to sail around the Atlantic on a reputable sea worthy ship. To encourage him on his journey I removed my compass from around my neck and entrusted it to him to bring back safely. It was logical to me that around his neck during this time was where my compass belonged.

Cody is currently on the last leg of his three month trip sailing the salty sea. He began this journey aboard the Picton Castle in Norway. The ship is 180 feet long and 100 feet high, with a crew of 30 plus and 19 sails. They have sailed to England, Germany, France, Portugal, and Spain. He has seen castles, dolphins, cathedrals, and more water than some of us could dream of. Spending countless hours with the crew Cody has learned about topsails, Clews, bowsprits, and royals.

As I wait for my compass to return in about two weeks, I continue to pray for my friend’s safe return and am pondering constantly the words spoken by our pastor this past Sunday. He was referring to fellowship and described it so simply. “Fellowship is kind of like a bunch of fellows on a ship.” He went on talking about how the daily happenings of a crew’s life on a ship in such close proximity to one another with limited places to hide. I have tasted the blessings that come from the gift of fellowship and the positive impact that can make on a man’s life. (J.O.C. and etc.) I look forward to having fellowship with my friends, that I have not seen for a few months, some time soon. I continue to seek this and understand what healthy, God-centered fellowship looks like I need this and you do too.

If you are interested in reading and seeing some amazing pictures from Cody’s blog, maybe in hopes of making the fellowship analogy a little more clear, the web site is http://codyslettenproject.com/news.html