I remember one very rough night; one very black and stormy night off the coast of San Francisco during night carrier qualification. On this particular night we were making an instrument approach in the thunderstorm infested darkness to the USS Kitty Hawk and the waiting grading book of the LSO (Landing Safety Officer).
As we completed the final stages of our instrument approach we began the critical transition to the visual cues for landing. I never saw the landing area pitch and roll that much ever again in my naval career. The deck of the carrier is some 70 feet above the water line and it was pitching +/- 30 feet. The only thing I remember about that pass was the LSO’s last comment as the deck seemed to be coming back up at something approaching the speed of light … Hold what you’ve got. Translated that meant don’t touch the power, don’t climb, don’t dive, don’t drift left and don’t drift right … don’t breathe. In spite of the visual picture unfolding before our eyes (that contradicted his command) we had to choose between going around and doing it all over again or trusting him and continuing the approach. If we wanted to get aboard on that pass we only had one option … Stay The Course!
Those words were spoken into my ears over 50 years ago and they are as clear now as they were then. I haven’t thought about that night very many times but every time has brought cold shivers up my spine. I remember thinking at the time; this might not have been such a wise career move! So you can imagine my reaction when I heard those words in my ears several weeks ago … I still held my breath.
Over the years I have learned that without the Word of God to stand on I am hopelessly headed for disaster at the first sign of troubled waters. Many times in my hurry to move ahead I have taken action based upon “head knowledge” instead of God’s Word. The result was always the same. Just like ignoring the LSO’s command, he’ll wave you off and you’ll have to go around and do it again. The importance of that cannot be overstated as every time you go around you burn up precious fuel you can’t afford to waste. You only have so many passes at the deck in the fuel tank and after that you are either going to have to find an aerial tanker or head for the beach and hope you don’t run out of fuel in the process. In life you only have so much time.
At this particular moment in my life I have not been hearing from God regarding the action He wants me to take. In an effort to hear His voice I began a fast to sharpen my spiritual ears (putting the flesh down is always a good place to start). After a few days I heard those words in my ears once again; Hold What You’ve Got – Stay The Course. My immediate response was the same as it was 41 years ago; With what’s going on in this country and the economy that doesn’t sound like a very good idea; not in light of what I see in front of me.
Then He took me out of the cockpit and put me on the bridge to remind me of some basic seamanship – any sailor can be good when there are fair seas and following winds but real sailors are made when the seas are boiling and the wind is whipped into a frenzy. He reminded me of Paul’s sailing adventure in Acts 27. In the midst of that storm God was faithful to get His Word to Paul; Stay The Course. All those surrounding him wanted to abandon ship but Paul’s voice was loud and clear:
Acts 27:21-25 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. 23. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24. Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 25. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Let’s look at that for a moment. Paul had previously warned them in verses 9 and 10 before they ever left but he had been ignored. Nevertheless he stood his ground and didn’t falter. How could he do that in the midst of such a ferocious storm? Look at verse 25. Not only had he been given God’s Word but He acted upon it; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Now look back at part (a) of verse 25; Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: What a demonstration of faith in God’s Word. As I began to think about this the Lord spoke to me concerning what it means to Stay The Course.
There are two types of storms: those we see coming and those that blow up out of nowhere. One of the things we need to realize as Christians is that God will give us a heads-up in either case. The difference is that in the later case we don’t have much time to prepare. The secret in both cases, however, is to stay in close communication with the Captain and be prepared to act accordingly.
Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Fortunately our Heavenly Captain never misses a forecast. Sometimes we have time to batten down the hatches and secure the cargo and other times we only have enough time to find a secure place to hang on and ride out the storm. Look at the following examples He gave me regarding staying the course in the face of a raging storm.
Trim the Sails
One of the biggest mistakes a sailing ship can make is to carry too much canvas in a storm. The strong wind will fill that canvas and dangerously increase the ship’s speed. In a storm a ship moving too fast is at high risk of getting out of control and floundering in the heavy seas. The same thing applies to each of us in a storm. We need to trim our sails and move a little more slowly so that we can maintain control. If we move ahead too quickly we will find ourselves out of control and being tossed about by the circumstances.
Acts 27:17 and then banded the ship with ropes to strengthen the hull. The sailors were afraid of being driven across to the quicksands of the African coast, so they lowered the topsails and were thus driven before the wind. TLB
Pump the Bilges
As a ship moves into heavy seas one of the results of the waves crashing over the bow is water flowing into the bilges (lower part of the ship). In anticipation of this a good Captain will start his bilge pumps at the first signs of heavy weather. If he waits until there is a great deal of water in the bilges the pumps won’t be able to keep up with the incoming water let alone empty that which was there in the beginning.
We need to be certain our bilge pump (our faith) is operating and that all doubt and fear are pumped overboard. If we allow them to flow into our hold without restraint we are soon going to find ourselves sinking from the extra weight. In the midst of the storm we need to exercise our faith as fear and faith cannot occupy the same space. Just like water pumped up and out so will fear and doubt be cast back into the stormy circumstances from where they came.
Ps 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight
We have a very active part to play in these storms. We can’t just sit idly by while our ship is tossed about. We are active partners with the Captain in delivering the ship from the storm.
Matt 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Secure the Cargo
What the Captain signed for on the cargo manifest he is responsible to deliver at his destination. The last thing he wants to do is lose it over the side in a storm. At the very first indication of an approaching storm he is going to ensure that the cargo is tied down tightly and secured inside the cargo hold. For us it’s the same. We need to be certain that we secure the Word of God that we are carrying so the storm won’t jerk it from us. As the Captain lashes his cargo down tightly so we need to ingest the Word of God by studying it, chewing it, memorizing it and reviewing it constantly. Only then will it be securely locked in our hearts; available for delivery when required.
Ps 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Keep a Sharp Eye on the Heading
One of the most difficult things to do in a storm is to maintain a constant heading. When the swells and waves push the ship about the compass wanders from left to right and right to left without ever stopping on a specified heading. This is where an experienced helmsman comes into his own. If the Captain has ordered North by Northwest then the helmsman’s job is to track that heading. His experienced eye will interpret the oscillations of the compass and average out the desired course. He won’t let the ship proceed on the wrong heading because he is constantly making corrections.
It isn’t so serious to be off course 1 degree if you are only going 1 mile because the error will be small. But if you continue that 1-degree of deviation for 60 miles you will miss your target by 1 mile. Likewise we can’t afford to let ourselves drift from the Lord’s course. We have to continually watch our compass and make certain we are correcting for errors that the storm is throwing at us.
James 3:4 And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. TLB
Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Prov 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Keep Your Navigation Up-To-Date
One of the things a good ship’s navigator does is to maintain the ship’s track on his charts by time and distance. In so doing he will always have an idea of where the ship is at any given point. Without that the ship could easily run aground in shallow water or find itself thrown on the rocks. As God’s navigators we are expected to keep track of where we are and compare that with the available charts. If we don’t the end result is going to be the same, we are going to wind up shipwrecked without any idea where we are. I remember in pre-flight training the emphasis the Navy put on this process, which they called Dead Reckoning … I never did like the sound of that!
More important is the fact that you need to have a heading to hold onto before the storm hits you. That is why the helmsman always repeats the heading changes called out by the officer of the deck who is carrying out the orders of the Captain. It’s his ship, his cargo and his responsibility. As long as we carry out His orders we will come through the storm and make it to our destination; he charted the course and he knows where he’s going.
If we are to successfully navigate through one of life’s storms, especially in unfamiliar waters, we have to stay in the Word. Just as the navigator constantly refers to his charts so we must refer to ours. There is no substitute for the Word and prayer during one of these storms. But let me caution you, if the navigator only starts keeping track when they enter the storm he will have no point of reference to commence the track. You have to know where you are to determine the course to your destination. The Word will show you where you are and where you’re going. But don’t wait until the last minute to consult the charts!
Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Trust the Captain
I have written in the past about the comparison between flying on instruments and trusting the Holy Spirit. The analogy is the same in this case. If you don’t trust what you are seeing on the ship’s compass and decide not to follow it you are going to be in big trouble. When the storm passes you will be way off course and most likely lost. No matter what the conditions or circumstances around you it is imperative that you trust The Spirit and The Word. Without them you can’t possibly navigate through the storm. Sometimes the captain may change the heading in the midst of a storm to deal with the swells. It doesn’t seem like the right heading to the helmsman at the time but that correction was made to keep the ship and crew out of harms way and his job is to make that correction.
Zech 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts
Rom 4:20-21 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
As we navigate in the midst of a storm we must never lose sight of our original sailing orders. We didn’t pull out of port to simply let the ship have her head and see where we might wind up. The Captain has given us his orders. We have His Vision, His Promise and His Word. That is all we need to weather any storm the enemy may throw our way.
Ps 107:23-32 And then there are the sailors sailing the seven seas, plying the trade routes of the world. 24. They, too, observe the power of God in action. 25 He calls to the storm winds; the waves rise high. 26. Their ships are tossed to the heavens and sink again to the depths; the sailors cringe in terror. 27. They reel and stagger like drunkards and are at their wit’s end. 28. Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and he saves them. 29. He calms the storm and stills the waves. 30. What a blessing is that stillness as he brings them safely into harbor! TLB
It is the same thing Peter faced when he stepped out of the boat. He was walking on water until he took his eyes off Jesus and began to consider the waves, the rain and the wind. When he did he began to sink. But that isn’t the end of the story. He got back to the boat and there were only two options: 1) he started walking on the water again or 2) Jesus picked him up and carried him to the boat.
Matt 14:28-32 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32. And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Notice that the wind did not cease until they were back in the boat. Jesus didn’t stop the storm to save Peter; He took him through it.
We have that same assurance in our storms. Even though God has given us His Word and we are “stepping out” we may still find ourselves floundering in the storm. That’s when THE CAPTAIN puts HIS HAND on the helm and steadies the ship. He is always available and ready to intercede should we need Him. He may be on the bridge with us or He may be in His cabin, but He is always aware of where we are and will never let us flounder. Our ship is never going to sink as long as He is The Captain:
Luke 8:23-24 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
We are not always going to do things correctly and there are times when He is going to have to help us. At those times we shouldn’t get down because, rest assured, we aren’t going to go through just one storm in life. A sailor becomes a good sailor because he has been through many storms and has learned something from each one. That’s why a Captain has always spent time in the sailor’s shoes. He knows what it’s like to be stationed at the helm, rigging the sails or securing the cargo down in the hold in the midst of gale force winds.
How appropriate that Jesus spent time in our shoes; weathering the same storms in life that we face. He has seen the raging winds of persecution, the waves of fear, the rain of disappointment and the swells of desolation. He knows how we feel standing at the helm with everything all but falling apart in front of us and the waves pounding against us with such a roar that we can hardly hear let alone think. Simply trying to maintain our balance, not to mention a steady heading, is about all we can do.
And that’s just where we were on that stormy night 41 years ago; struggling just to keep everything in balance. I had a bad case of vertigo and inside my head the little voice of the flesh screamed your in a climbing right turn; get the nose down and roll left. But the instruments indicated something completely different. Just like the world around us today screams at us that it’s all over, there isn’t any hope, you’re going under this time while the steady voice of The Spirit says you’re right on course, don’t deviate! It’s during those times that your faith gets tested and strengthened. And that night after coming out of the clouds we had very little time to adjust to the visual picture outside, which wasn’t very pretty.
The deck was coming up and we were going down – it seemed like a crash in the making.
But just at the last moment the deck reached the limits of its cycle. It stopped moving at just the moment we touched down and grabbed the arresting cable. As the cable slowed us from 170 mph to zero in a heartbeat it was all over. The LSO knew some things we didn’t. He knew how much the deck was pitching, how fast it was moving, where it was in its cycle and where it would be when we crossed the ramp. He assimilated all that information and made the decision for us. We simply had to believe what he said and do our part.
When the circumstances surrounding your life, like a night carrier landing, are all out of focus and confused … when the solution seems far from being at hand … when you feel like you are about to go under for the last time … when it all seems out of control … that’s when the Big LSO clicks His microphone, breaks the silence and calmly says those comforting words … Hold What You’ve Got.