The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. - Acts 27:18
During a storm at sea, the sailors had to lighten the overburdened ship (Acts 27:14-20). Many times we need to lighten our own ships so we don’t go under!
When I was a small child my father took my sister and me down to the Liverpool dockyards to see the merchant ships that were bringing us food in the middle of the blitz during World War II. I noticed a painted waterline around the center of each vessel.
“What’s that for?” I asked my father.
“That’s to show the people loading up the ship how much it’s made to carry. If they put too much on so the line disappears, the boat will sink. If they put too little inside, it won’t be filled full enough to do what it was made to do. Each boat is made by its builder to carry just the right amount.”
I have often applied that picture to my own life. God has made me quite a large cargo ship. I can carry a lot—but there is still a “waterline” I need to watch. If I’m not taking anything on for God, I will feel strangely light and unfulfilled. If, however, I say yes to everything, I’ll soon be at the bottom of the sea!
Realize that God is your boatbuilder. He knows who you are, how big your hold is, and what he wants you carrying. The way to fulfillment lies in keeping close enough to hear his still small voice and in being obedient. Happy sailing!
For Further Study: Acts 27:1-25
Excerpted from The One Year Devotions for Women, Copyright ©2000 by Jill Briscoe. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
For more from Jill Briscoe, please visit TellingtheTruth.org.
SPECIAL OFFER
