Choosing the Safe Harbour

I was walking the other day around my local, beautiful and peaceful harbour. It is only small, but that is part of its beauty. It was so calm this day, so peaceful, so safe.  Outside the rocked wall the waves were crashing and rolling in. As the sets came in the surf was strong and the sea’s force of nature could be seen and felt. Yet, in the harbour it was calm. 

Maybe your like me, lately I have felt a force of waves and even a storm raging around me, but when I choose to stay in the harbour it is calm, even though the waves crash against the rocks just outside the walls. 

I feel a deep burden and ache for those around me who are in storms, and are being taken by the waves and seeming to be smashed against the rocks. It seems lately the texts, the calls, the stories, the pain is all around me, in my family, friends, community, the news, the world. I am called at times to step into the storm with others, and even into my own storms, and yet lately I have felt a CALM I cannot explain, a PEACE I cannot deny, I safety that helps me hang in there, at a time when others are falling apart. 

The view I saw today as I walked around, amidst texts coming in and messages on Facebook that kept pinging on my phone, was a reminder of the calm, peaceful, HOPE God always longs to bring, if we would simply turns our hearts toward the harbour, instead of sometimes choosing to ride the waves of the storm. 

I know it is not true always, because there are some things in life that we have no choice over. They are painful and hard to endure, but I wonder how often we actually do freely CHOOSE to step into the storm, the places where we truly feel like we are drowning and then begin to scream “help” and get angry at God, shouting, “where are you?”

The lighthouse doesn't move. It is steadfast, stable, secure, always shining. We simply need to come to the light and enter into the safe harbour. It is mostly a choice for the captain of a boat to choose where to sail. To choose to go with the wind, to head toward safe places or to head into the storm and take their chances.

I have often felt that in any situation, no matter how rough the storm, we still have a CHOICE ... the free choice that God always gives us. It is seems too simple, but actually even in the wildest storms of my life, I know I have always had a choice of where to sail, how I approach any storm, and the choice to turn towards the harbour whenever it gets too rough. Whenever I have chosen to turn towards the safe harbour, either physically or emotionally, God’s safe harbour, His peace and comfort has never failed me.

So, right now I sit and walk with many in their storms and my biggest heartbreak is when others choose to head into the storms, away from His safe harbour and then wonder why they are drowning? And at the risk of mixing metaphors , the parable of the sower (Luke 8:10) challenges me,  for when all is said and done we are simply called to “sow the seed”, His truth and love, HIs promise of a safe harbour that has never changed or moved even though the world’s storms seem to be stronger and feel more tenacious than ever before.  When the disciples asked “why are you telling this story” (Luke 8:9), I can relate to them as I feel like I am constantly asking the  question today “Why are we not seeing more breakthrough and people turning to you God?”, He simply answers: 

“Their eyes are open but they don't see a thing, 

Their ears are open but don't hear a thing” 

(Luke 8:10)

Jesus says to me, “I simply called you to be a light in the darkness (Luke 8:16-18) drawing people to the safe Harbour, reminding people that we always have a choice. His truth has never changed, His love is constant, His peace is always available. If we would just choose to turn towards the safe harbour, instead of head into the storms, which of course means choosing to surrender to Him and allowing Him to captain our ship, I believe His faithfulness will never fail and He will always bring the HOPE AND CALM AND PEACE we long for, even in the roughest of seas.