Spirituality is like yachting: the wind in your sails and a spinnaker hoisted! The wind of God in your spiritual sails is an empowering and forward moving influence. Religion, on the other hand, is demanding, like rowing a boat while facing backward to move forward. Religion is also mysterious. Unlike Christian spirituality, which is understandable.
Need more speed? Then set more sail — spend more time in prayer. Praise is an excellent spinnaker. Not enough wind in your sails? Use what little you have to tack — an inspiring verse here, an encouraging prophecy there –until you catch a spiritual gust that will enable you to reset your sails and set your sails for a straight course.
Just don’t drift, listlessly, in the doldrums of low expectation and self-doubt, hoping that help might appear out of nowhere to somehow save you. The NT Greek word translated “driven” in Acts 28:17 in reference to a ship, is translated “moved”– “borne along” — in 2 Peter 1:21.
Sailors say there’s nothing like standing at the helm with the wind in your sails, the spinnaker set, and the taste of salt-spray on the lips. All good. Yet nowhere near as exciting as the hands of Jesus on yours at the helm to keep you on course, heartfelt praise lifting high your rising prow and the taste of God’s goodness in your mouth!
Those who “go down to the sea in ships” (Psalm 107:23-30) know that to call sailing adventurous would be to understate it because it must be experienced to be described.
Are you willing to experience lifesaving and satisfying salvation through Jesus Christ? Then pray: “Dear God, please forgive my sins. I do believe that Jesus died on the Cross to save me from my sins, so that I could be forgiven and made acceptable to you. I open my heart to your love, my mind to your words, and my body as a home for your Holy Spirit. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”