Poetry

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The Storm

With a salty breeze in his hair
He stands on the bow with little care
Staring at the pink horizon, as if to dare
A challenge to fate…anytime, anywhere

With faith in his crew and personal pride
From no trouble will they hide
With a stubbornness born of determination
They battle this storm without hesitation (reservation)

As they ride into the jaws of the storm
In the rigging and on the deck, the battle line forms
It starts with a flash of lightning and the crack of thunder
They fight to keep the ship from being torn asunder

Wave after wave explode over the rail
The helmsman steers through this watery hell
Rising and falling on the swollen waves
Struggling against the pull of watery graves

Tossed and thrown through wind and rain
The hold, on crew and ship, an effort to maintain
Pushed to the limits, ready to quit
Never, never while the fire of life is lit

A final gust and the storm is over
All hands stand soaked and somber (sober)
A silence falls for a worthy adversary
For respect and to reflect, a lesson to always carry

He wipes the rain from his brow to his chin
Looking at the battered sailors, he can’t help but grin
Through the damage and destruction done
His crew faced the storm and won.

Storms will come and storms will go
Fiery darts the enemy will continue to throw
But there is one thing that is reliably certain
Victory, for Christ is this ship’s captain.


Brothers and Sisters,

I started this poem when I was lost, but the Lord let me finish it when I’m found. I didn’t know back then that the Lord had already started His good work in me. Often I’ve read this over and over thinking that it isn’t finished. Try as I may I could not find the rest of the poem. Today I was reading another poem about a storm when the Lord led me to read this one again. As I read it, I realized that I’m not the captain of this ship, but Jesus Christ has always been and will always be the Captain of this vessel. After the Lord give me the closing stanza I can look at the finished product and be moved. For even as He finishes a simple writing, I know that something even better awaits; when He finishes the product that is me.

You see it was my pride that prevented the Lord from letting me finish this poem. No, something so insignificant stop the Lord, but it will stop me from receiving the gift. Now I am humbled before the Lord and realize that all my life it has been Him bringing me through the storms. Not my own abilities, not my own efforts, not my own pride, but Jesus Christ the merciful Lord. Don’t believe me, ponder this: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even before I accepted Him as Lord and Savior and died to the old flesh, He loved me.

Therefore, fear no storms on this sea of life. He is the voice that calmed the wind and waves and He is the Captain that will see this vessel through any storm. God bless.

A servant in Christ,
Christian


© Christian Coutts

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