Yes, this picture is of my husband at his “Piping Over” ceremony after 20 years of service in the US Navy.

Yesterday as I was going about my daily chores, I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking about anything specific; I was just thinking as usual. Am I the only one? 😉Someday I must write a poem titled “I Think, I think too much!” Lol! But amid my random thoughts, there was a shift to something I felt drawn to listen to and certain I needed to write about.

If you have read about me and some of my narratives you may remember that my husband, David, served 20 years in the US Navy. I considered this thought may have stemmed from seeing and hearing how the military operates. Whatever the cause, the Holy Spirit began to unfold a lesson, therefore a purpose for the shift in my thoughts.

So, here we go…

I was considering how a naval vessel operates, mainly the various tasks among the crewmembers that accomplish the ship’s purpose. There are various ships, therefore varying in their specific purposes. But in all instances, there is a chain of command. After requesting a brief review of this chain of command from David, I quickly realized that it has far more links than is necessary for this lesson.

Let’s just start with the Commanding Officer of the ship. He has the authority to use everyone and everything at his disposal to accomplish their mission. Each department has a department head with certain training and authority over his team. Each team member has his position among the crew. Power, authority, and control are used and alongside it, dedication, commitment, and discipline are necessary for success. Does this remind you of my recent blog where I mentioned the God of Order?

As I focused on just a few of the tasks that could appear quite menial, it was evident that each was significant in the overall “success” of the ship. Taking it another step, I was considering what it would be like if the crewmembers decided they didn’t want to do their task. Disobedient!

Here are some of the examples and thoughts I had about these few:

Let’s consider the Cook. We all know how vital meals are! He or she has limited food and utensils to prepare meals with. They have had training in that area and have agreed to do that task. They cooked and all ate.

Now let’s consider if the cook never got a “thank you” from the crew, only grumbling, complaints, and insults. Would the cook have the option of not cooking? Would it make his job less vital to the functioning of the crew? Or how about the laundry crew? I dare say they get accolades for their hard thankless task. What if they just quit or made excuses for everyone’s clothes being smelly and mildewed because they didn’t put them in the dryer? These two examples reminded me of the blogs I wrote titled Losing My Sight parts 1-3 and Appreciation. Please read them some time and see if you agree. You will need to scroll down on this blog page from January 31,2024 through February 16, 2024.

Then my thoughts shifted to the Missile Fire Control Officer, which was one of David’s jobs aboard a guided missile destroyer he served on. What if he told the Commanding Officer that he didn’t want to watch the radar scope for countless hours on end? Or he didn’t want to pull the trigger when he was told because he thought the timing wasn’t right? I think a dishonorable discharge would be in store for that person or worse yet, their ship blown up! This example reminds me of my poem “My Will Be Done?” in my book “Inspire Me”.

A few verses from it:

“This life I live renewed by Thee. Fulfilling my purpose Thy will for me

YOU’RE my daily portion, filling every need; Keep my heart humble, far away from greed

THY WILL BE DONE, YOUR will for me, from this day onward, my heartfelt plea!”

As my thoughts moved on to the various tasks, training, personalities, and experiences of the crew members, it was obvious it took commitment, dedication, discipline, and hard work from everyone. And the consequences, some being detrimental, of not doing their part. Disobedience! Of course, some were more dedicated and were bigger contributors to the overall functioning of the ship than others. Some received more awards, recognition, and fulfillment than others and were advanced more quickly and further than others. There are those whose motivation and purpose for joining the military were for all the wrong reasons. All of these were factors in the ability of the crew to accomplish the ship’s purpose and a reflection of our US Naval Forces.

So, the question is, “Why were my thoughts on such as this?” Could this be used as a parable? Right away I thought of the Church. In this instance, we believers would be the shipmates or crewmembers. (My Pastor says we call coming together “Fellowship” because we are all fellows in this ship together.) LOL! Do you see why I think that I think too much? Ha! Ha! 

But seriously, who has top authority over the church? Who is the Commanding Officer of the entire ship? God the Father in Ephesians 1:21 NKJV set Jesus “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in that which is to come.” And Colossians 2:10 NKJV says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

As my thoughts were processing through the comparison, I was getting a clearer picture of how the body (crewmembers) should be dedicated to the Lord, committed to serve Him, trained (in the Word), and disciplined by the Holy Spirit to serve our purpose and accomplish our mission. We would be a “healthy” reflection of Who Jesus is therefore honoring Him. How about the Lord’s Great Commandment and the Great Commission? His will for us!

I stopped writing last night and I thought it was because it was getting late. That doesn’t usually stop me though!

This morning the Lord showed me why it was time to stop. He had more clarification of why I was drawn to listen to these thoughts and was certain that I needed to write about it. I will share today more of what was revealed about this parable.

As I was writing about God being the Commanding Officer of “we fellows in this ship together”, I knew there was more than I had written. And I’m sure that there is plenty more to discover as we seek a deeper understanding going forward.

Honestly, I wasn’t asking the Lord for more on that topic when I was “being still” before Him this morning. I was praying some specific verses of scripture for those who are in bondage, rebellion, and hardened hearts through pride and selfishness. Disobedience!

Then there it was…

The scripture that most directly addresses the Lord as the Captain is Joshua 5:13-15. Reading this passage gave me an excitement for the Lord’s Word that I could hardly wait to continue writing.

Joshua encountered a man with a drawn sword who reveals himself to be the Captain of the Lord’s host, signifying that the Lord is the commander of the heavenly army. Do you know we believers are in the Lord’s heavenly army here on earth? We are soldiers (crewmen and women) with the Armor of God and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God in Ephesians 6:17. We are equipped with Hebrews 13:21 “every good thing to do His will. And He may accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” And get this, my friends, Romans 8:11 NLT “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you.” Doesn’t this give us an understanding of the power and authority given to us through Christ?

This, we know, is how we accomplish our mission, our purpose, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission. But in God’s ship, we do have a choice. As my examples of the Cook, laundry crew, and Fire Control Officer, if we don’t do our part the whole ship suffers. Without our dedication to the Lord, committed to serving Him, trained (in the Word), and disciplined by the Holy Spirit, we will not be a “healthy” reflection of Who Jesus is and the power of the Holy Spirit in us. After all, our Captain of the Lord’s host gave us the Great Commandment NKJV Matthew 22:36-39  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Next, the Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Now these truths, my friends, are how we are to live as dedicated, committed, obedient, disciplined members of the “crew”. Victory in Jesus, all to His glory!

On January 13^th,2017 I was inspired to write a poem I titled, “Sovereign Captain at the Helm.” It is in my first book “Inspire Me”. When I wrote this poem and noted the scripture references, I didn’t even know about the scripture in Joshua 5:13-15. But He showed me today! He promises us if we seek Him we will find Him, when we search for Him with all our heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV. I thank You, Lord for teaching me and giving me more desire for You.

Here are a few verses at the end of my poem “Sovereign Captain at the Helm”:

Allow Him to be the Captain of your life vessel

Storms, remember, are not yours to wrestle,

When LOVE, GRACE, AND PEACE in your ship reside

Your voyage successful, calmly into destiny you glide,

Till your sailing is over, Eternity on the other side.

Again, I trust by sharing my directed thoughts that I am fulfilling my mission statement, but most of all, the Great Commandment and Great Commission.

God bless you and thank you for joining me in this opportunity to commit, dedicate, and be obedient to our Sovereign Captain at the Helm. Will you join me in saying…AYE AYE, CAPTAIN? Aye aye captain is a nautical phrase that means “I understand and will comply with your order”. It is used in the US Navy and the Royal Navy. It is a way to show that the speaker understands the order and will carry it out. We use it in response to an order from a person of higher rank.

Until next time and as always in His name,

Reba