My husband and I went to the ocean yesterday. The sun was shining and the temperatures were
warm. The leaves are just beginning to
change colors, which made the ride to the shore beautiful. It was an ideal fall day.
We drove to a small town on the ocean, with a working
harbor. On this day, several boats were
being moved from the water to winter storage.
The process requires lifts, cranes and large trailers and several
workers to guide it all. I watched as a
smaller sailboat was hoisted out of the water and moved to the trailer waiting
to carry it away. As I looked at the
boat, I saw the keel hanging down from the middle of the underside of the
boat. It looked like a flat panel and it
ended with a large oval off the bottom edge.
The large oval is a weight. It
was probably made of lead making it very heavy.
The keel is a counterbalance to the upper part of the ship,
the sails and the mast. Its purpose is to keep the ship upright, when then wind
would push it over. The keel also acts
to keep the ship from moving sideways allowing it to move forward. That weight is what makes it possible for the
ship to move in the water.
I thought about how our lives are directed when the Spirit
of God is what gives us the weight and balance to move forward. How His presence can offset some of the
desires we have that may lead us off course, or tip us over and lead to
sinking. His is a quiet, unseen
presence, but utterly vital to life.
Many times we have met others whose life and choices have led them to places they would never have dreamed of going, to places of sorrow and pain. It has even been called “making shipwreck” of one’s life. That weight of presence, that counterbalance to temptation was not engaged, not heeded.
When a sailboat is in the water, the keel is totally unseen. What is seen it the boat’s ability to maneuver and stay on course and stay upright. The effects of the keel are visible and verifiable even if the keel is unseen. Like the Spirit of God, our lives will reflect His action in us or our rejection of His weight and influences.
Many times we have met others whose life and choices have led them to places they would never have dreamed of going, to places of sorrow and pain. It has even been called “making shipwreck” of one’s life. That weight of presence, that counterbalance to temptation was not engaged, not heeded.
When a sailboat is in the water, the keel is totally unseen. What is seen it the boat’s ability to maneuver and stay on course and stay upright. The effects of the keel are visible and verifiable even if the keel is unseen. Like the Spirit of God, our lives will reflect His action in us or our rejection of His weight and influences.
What about the course you are on? Is your keel functioning and in place?
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