I love the passages in this week’s Responsive Reading about “They that go down to the sea in ships” and the protection that God provides them. The great oceans are great testing waters for one’s faith!
Matthew Henry has some interesting comments:
“Much of the power of God appears at all times in the sea. … It especially appears in storms at sea, which are much more terrible than at land. … How seasonable it is at such a time to pray. Those that go to sea must expect such perils as are here described, and the best preparation they can make for them is to make sure a liberty of access to God by prayer, for then they will cry unto the Lord. We have a saying, “Let those that would learn to pray go to sea;” I say, Let those that will go to sea learn to pray, and accustom themselves to pray, that they may come with the more boldness to the throne of grace when they are in trouble. Even heathen mariners, in a storm, cried every man to his god; but those that have the Lord for their God have a present and powerful help in that and every other time of need, so that when they are at their wits’ end they are not at their faith’s end. … Thus he carries his people safely through all the storms and tempests that they meet with in their voyage heaven-ward, and lands them, at length, in the desired harbour. How justly it is expected that all those who have had a safe passage over the sea, and especially who have been delivered from remarkable perils at sea, should acknowledge it with thankfulness, to the glory of God.”
I am grateful for the teaching I received here at Plainfield that put great emphasis on the importance of memorizing the 91st Psalm, which begins, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” What comfort that has given me time and time again!
We have also been taught the importance of remaining in an “attitude of gratitude”–and that when we are grateful, we are safe!