The following is one of my favorite devotions from one of my favorite preachers, Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892). It’s a commentary on the famous story of when Jesus calmed the storm in Mark 4:36-41.
As you celebrate Christmas this year with family and friends, may Jesus be your admiral through whatever storms you are now facing or will face in the coming year. If He is indeed, trust Him and He will navigate your vessel to safety.
Jesus was the Lord High Admiral of the sea that night, and His presence preserved the whole convoy. It is good to sail with Jesus, even though we may be in a little boat. When we sail in Christ’s company, we cannot be sure of fine weather, for great storms may toss the vessel that carries the Lord Himself, and we should not expect to find the sea less boisterous around our little boat. If we go with Jesus we must be content to face what He faces; and when the waves are rough for Him, they will be rough for us. It is through tempest and storm that we will reach land, just as He did before us. When the storm swept over Galilee’s dark lake, the faces wore anxious frowns, and all hearts dreaded shipwreck.
When every attempt to ride it out proved useless, the resting Savior rose and with a word transformed the billowing tempest into the deep quiet of a calm. Then all the other boats were at rest as well as the one that carried the Lord. Jesus is the star of the sea; and though there is sorrow on the sea, when Jesus is on it, there is also joy.
May our hearts make Jesus their anchor, their rudder, their lighthouse, their lifeboat, and their harbor. His Church is the Admiral’s flagship; let us attend her exercises and cheer her officers with our presence. He Himself is the great attraction; let us always follow in His wake, observe His signals, steer by His chart, and never fear while He is within reach. Not one ship in the convoy shall be wrecked; the great Captain will steer every craft in safety to the desired haven. By faith we will raise our anchor for another day’s cruise and sail with Jesus into a sea of tribulation. Winds and waves will not spare us, but they all obey Him; and therefore whatever squalls may occur on the outside, faith will enjoy a blessed calm within. He is always in the center of the weather-beaten company: Let us rejoice in Him. His boat has reached the harbor, and so will ours.
Excerpt from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon
The $tingy Sailor 
Thank you, Merry Christmas!!
May God bless you and yours. Loved the blog. Thank you brother!
Ruthie Henderson, Associate Broker Best Homes of Michigan (616) 292-2414 Ruthie@grar.com
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Thank you for sending and Merry Christmas Stingey!
Thank you! It’s exciting to find that someone he who has made such an impact on a community I care about is a fellow believer. Merry Christmas!
Thx for the wonderful Christmas reminder by Spurgeon!
Amen!
Thank you for sharing that most eloquent and beautiful passage. Yes, indeed, Jesus is the Captain of my ship.
That’s a good post, thanks!
Yup!
Amen! Merry Christmas!
Ken, Thanks for this note; it was a blessing to me. My family takes off tomorrow for a Christmas trip to Thailand where my daughter and her husband are missionaries. We will meet our latest granddaughter for the first time, can’t wait. I pray that your Christmas season would be filled with hope in Christ and he would bless you with sweet family time. Even though we have never met, our faith makes us brothers and I look forward to that sail we will one day do together (even if it’s in heaven!). Thanks for sharing your faith with your followers, God bless you, John
What a treat to know my favorite sailing enthusiast blogger is also a brother. God Bless and Merry Christmas!
Very nice, merry Christmas!
Thank you for being a light on a hill when so many keep theirs under a basket. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I have enjoyed your postings for years and while we have sold our 20′ Ensenada ‘trailer sailer’ just this past fall I continue to appreciate your posts. I especially like this one and have had a number of times when, though I knew the Lord was with me in heart and spirit, I wished He was right there physically with me on the water and in the storm. Yet in His grace He has delivered me time and time again from peril on both sea and in life on the hard. All glory to Him. Merry Christmas and the happiest and healthiest of New Years.
Well said , A good thought for those who risk their lives at sea to save the likes of us who play at sailing and sometimes get into trouble.
Happy Christmas
May our Lord be the wonderful host of your Christmas and bless you and yours. John
I appreciate your Christmas post! Charles Spurgeon was certainly powerfully used by God. It’s nice to know that we share more than a love of all things sailing.
Merry Christmas from our family!
Grace and Peace, Jason Corder
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