ships in the Bible Archives

Monday

7

November 2022

Lessons from the life of Jonah, Part 1

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"We behold professed Christians wrapping themselves up in their security, and calmly looking on upon the labours of others, wishing them no doubt all success, but not even lifting a finger to do any part of the work themselves." (Charles Spurgeon) | Read more on hopereflected.com

We won’t get far if we flee from God.

Jonah knew this, and yet he still tried to avoid the task that God had laid out for him. “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD…” (Jonah 1:3). We can run from God, but we can’t hide. Despite knowing this, how come so many of us try to avoid Him? Sometimes God allows us to be put in uncomfortable positions where we have to stand up for inconvenient truths, and we don’t like that. After all, who wants to risk discomfort by speaking up when they could just say nothing instead?

“We can run from God, but we can’t hide.
Despite knowing this, how come so many of us try to avoid him?
Hope Reflected

David asked in Psalm 139, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” (v. 7). The answer is that there is nowhere we could ever go that will escape the presence of God. The wording used in Jonah 1:3, “from the presence of the LORD,” is the same wording used in Genesis 4:16 when Cain went out “from the presence of the LORD”. As Cain willingly forsook God, Jonah did likewise. Even though we try to abandon God, He will never abandon us.

God loves us so much that He will move heaven and earth to get our attention and draw us to Him.

After Jonah tried to get away from God, God used a storm to get his attention. “But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest…” (Jonah 1:4). The sad part is that in the midst of the storm, Jonah wasn’t afraid; he was asleep. The other men on the ship woke him and said, “What meanest thou, O sleeper?” (1:6). They were more concerned about their welfare than Jonah was. God has a purpose for each one of us, to effect both our own lives as well as the lives of those around us. Spurgeon wrote that “we behold professed Christians wrapping themselves up in their own security, and calmly looking on upon the labors of others, wishing them no doubt all success, but not even lifting a finger to do any part of the work themselves.” No doubt, God is using our present circumstances and storms to alert our attention, and we must choose whether or not we awaken to action.

God hears us when we pray with a pure and repentant heart.

For Jonah, it took being tossed into the depths of the sea and being swallowed up by a great fish that God had prepared (Jonah 1:17) to wake up. God has a way of using hard times and opposition to bring us back to Him. Jonah, stuck in the disgusting ditch of the fish’s belly cried out to God and prayed, “Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2:9). God hears us when we pray with a pure and repentant heart. God is merciful. Jonah said himself, “thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…” (Jonah 4:2). What a parallel to David’s prayer in Psalm 86, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” (v. 5).

Originally published as “Lessons from the life of Jonah, Part 1.” Independent Plus. March 17, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

Tuesday

8

February 2022

At the helm: God makes things still

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow:" (Mark 4:37-38) Read more of At the Helm on hopereflected.com

Striving, not being still

Although it was night and He had just spent the day preaching, Jesus suggested traveling across the sea with the disciples. A great storm arose, and the ship filled up fast (Mark 4:37). In this storm, Jesus “was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow:” (Mark 4:38).

The disciples had an initial reaction of panic. “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” they questioned (v. 38). In any storm where we face unknowns, things that are out of our control, our first reaction – unfortunately – is not to be still. Usually we run about, trying to take matters into our own hands and figure things out. We find ourselves striving, not being still.

The first thing we should do

And yet, Scripture says to be still is the first thing that we should do. “Be still, and know that I am God:” (Psalm 46:10). Before verse 10, Psalm 46 reminds us that God is “a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). “Very present,” meaning that He’s right there, He is always with us, He’s always in the boat with us, at the helm, even when we – like the disciples – are panicking and wondering why He’s not panicking.

We're quick to observe Jesus sleeping. We forget that He is in the hinder part of the ship, right in the captain's place. He's always at the helm, even when we think He's not paying attention, or we wonder why He's sleeping. Read more of At the Helm on hopereflected.com

When you pass through the waters

In the prophecy of Isaiah, our Lord said, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” (Isaiah 43:2). He did not say, “If you go through the waters,” or “if you go through the rivers, or “If you walk through the fire,” He said “When”.

As much as we’d like to deny it, storms and troubles are a part of this life, but God is with us. We are created for His glory. When things are not going our way, it’s a reminder that His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). God uses the rivers to make the rocks smooth and He uses the fire to make the metal pliable.

Prayer is how we get His attention. Read more of At the Helm on hopereflected.com

He’s always at the helm

Like the disciples, we’re quick to observe Jesus sleeping, and we forget that He is “in the hinder part of the ship”, right in the captain’s place. He’s always at the helm, even when we think He’s not paying attention, or we wonder why He’s sleeping. How can we get His attention?

The disciples woke Him by talking to Him. In storms and troubles, are we talking to Him first or using prayer as our last resort? When the disciples spoke to Him, Jesus got up, “and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39).

“He maketh the storm a calm,
so that the waves thereof are still.”
Psalm 107:29

It is God that makes things still. “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.” (Psalm 107:29). As Matthew Henry wrote, “A word of comfort to us, that, be the storm of trouble ever so loud, ever so strong, Jesus Christ can lay it with a word’s speaking… He that made the seas, can make them quiet.”

Originally published as “In the hinder part of the ship.” Independent Plus. October 21, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Peace, Be Still (I Saw Three Ships)

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:38-40) | Peace be still | Read more at hopereflected.com

The Bible is filled with rich history that involves ships

I Saw Three Ships is an English Christmas carol with which many of us are familiar. While there’s always been some debate as to how the ships could be headed to Bethlehem (when the closest body of water is the Dead Sea), some people believe that the ships being referenced in the carol were not ships at all, but rather the three camels that the wise men used on their journey to meet Jesus.

The ship’s rudder determines the direction that a ship is going; whichever way the rudder turns, the boat will go in the direction with the least water pressure resistance. The direction we choose is based on our foundational beliefs, and that is why it’s so important that we have a firm foundation.

Peace, Be Still

The Bible is filled with rich history that involves ships, and we can learn many lessons from these accounts. It was from the stern of a ship that Jesus taught us the importance of finding peace and rest in Him. Mark 4 details one of the times that Jesus quieted the sea: “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:38-40)

It was also from a ship that Jesus provided reassurance and reinforced our faith. When His disciples were caught up in unsettled waters, Jesus walked to them on water. Doubting whether it was really Jesus, Peter wanted to walk to Him on the water to be sure. And Jesus said, “Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matt. 14:29-31)

Jesus used a ship to remind us that He is our provider

We can recall to mind the times that Jesus used a ship as the vessel to remind us that He is our provider, and that He does exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all that we can ask or think. In Luke 5, when Peter first meets our Lord, Jesus instructs him to let down his nets, and the multitude of fish Peter and his crew catch is so large that the net breaks (Luke 5:6). From this point on, Peter becomes a fisher of men. Or what about in John 21, after the resurrection, when Jesus appears to the disciples and tells them to cast their net, and they can’t draw the net in because there are so many fish (John 21:6).

Whatever season you’re sailing through, you will find true peace, rest, and reassurance when you put your faith in the One whom even the wind and the sea obey. He will be the anchor for your soul.

Originally published as “I Saw Three Ships.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. December 6, 2018: 6. Print. Web.

ships in the Bible Archive

7

Lessons from the life of Jonah, Part 1

We won’t get far if we flee from God.

God loves us so much that He will move heaven and earth to get our attention and draw us to Him.

God hears us when we pray with a pure and repentant heart.

Originally published as “Lessons from the life of Jonah, Part 1.” Independent Plus. March 17, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

8

At the helm: God makes things still

Striving, not being still

The first thing we should do

When you pass through the waters

He’s always at the helm

Originally published as “In the hinder part of the ship.” Independent Plus. October 21, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Read more about how to trust Jesus in the storm here.

18

Peace, Be Still (I Saw Three Ships)

The Bible is filled with rich history that involves ships

Peace, Be Still

Jesus used a ship to remind us that He is our provider

Originally published as “I Saw Three Ships.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. December 6, 2018: 6. Print. Web.

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