Ola’s fingers ran lazily across the railings as she slowly walked across the threshold.
It was a lazy day; one of those days where the weather was perfect, not too hot and not too chilly.
The ship was its usual bustling self; the atmosphere filled with the beautiful cacophony of banter, giggles, and meaningless but fulfilling chatter.
The smell of summer with the fading hints of spring was in the air.
The weather reports had promised sunny skies, so Ola felt at ease as she did her mid-morning rounds. Suddenly, the ship stopped abruptly, as though it was halted by a huge object.
Ola raced across the deck to the control room. “What’s happening?” She said, her voice raised.
We’ve come across a submerged island, Captain. It did not appear on our radar previously.
Like a page out of a fairy tale, a beautiful island with the most colourful birds and trees showed up out of nowhere on their ship’s course.
“Shall we release our anchor and explore, Captain?”
“Make sure the anchor is fast and secure; send a message to the Royal Navy Command immediately.”
‘Yes, ma’am.”
An alarm goes off on the ship.
‘What’s going on?” said Captain Ola.
“I cannot say for sure, ma’am. Will head down to the engine room and see for myself”
“Hurry back with a report. Lieutenant Arese, you’re in charge until he gets back. I need to address the passengers and avoid panic.”
‘Yes, ma’am!’
Ola walks briskly yet calmly towards the announcement podium. She smiles briefly at one of the passengers as she takes the microphone:
‘Good day to all passengers, sailors and crew aboard the 101 Silver Lily cruise ship. It has come to our notice that we have stumbled upon an unknown destination that was not picked up on our radar’.
We are currently assessing the situation and will give you more details as soon as we have more information. We ask that all passengers remain calm and return back to their cabins in an orderly manner.’
The navy cadet rushes to the podium and whispers in the captain’s ear.
The captain tries to maintain composure as she asks more questions, whispering under her breath.
They both walk into the control room and shut the door.
‘Tell me exactly what we’re dealing with’.
One of our engines was impacted by the recent hit, and our communication lines are down, which is why we didn’t predict the impact before it happened.
Also, it seems someone wandered into the holding room and carelessly cut down one of our anchors. At this stage, it’s either we keep going, unsure of the width of the island and risk another possible impact, or we risk setting down the remaining anchors, knowing that we may run off course or drift.
Captain Ola releases a deep breath.
She can’t fall apart now, not in front of her subordinates.
‘Set the anchor down, have a scout search the area from the top mast and send out a speed boat to scan the waters by 10 km perimeter. We need to have more accurate intel in the next 15 minutes; then we can decide the next course of action.’
Ola stepped out of the control room and walked briskly to the deck.
The seas still looked calm, but her gut told her that something unexpected was coming.
She lifted her eyes to the sky, her countenance stern and intense.
‘There’s no hill to lift my eyes to right now; where will my help come from?’ she scoffed to herself.
Then, like a gentle whiff of subtle breeze, a scripture came to her mind:
‘I will walk the blind by an unknown way and guide them on paths they have never travelled. I will smooth their difficult road and make the dark mysteries bright with light. These things I will do for them, for I will never abandon my beloved ones’.
“Lord, you’re my helper. Make a way,” Ola said half desperate and half confident.
A few gruelling minutes later, a cadet rushes to the captain.
‘Our backup communications have been restored. We’ve sent a message to the navy base, and they will be resending coordinates based on recent images taken from the satellite this morning.’
Whew!
Ola released a huge sigh of relief. The worst was not yet over, but help was on the way.
The hymn she had known from her childhood slowly echoed in her thoughts:
‘We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll.
Fastened to the rock, which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the saviour’s love.’
Ola slowly walked back to the control room, resolute and confident that whatever would come next, she, her crew and the passengers would make it safely back home.
Many believers set out daily on the seas of life, business and various activities without first seeking the Father’s will.
Some once started with frequent communication with heaven, but have lost their anchor (values) and are slowly running adrift, with the possibility of tragic disaster closer than they can discern.
I ask you today: “Will your anchor hold, in the storms of life?”
This question has often risen to the front and centre of my thoughts at various seasons of my life, both trying seasons and seasons of suspicious calm.
I dare you to do two things:
1. Reassess your communication with your maker: is it steady, or faulty?
2. Objectively review your value system: are you still walking in integrity, and are values such as honesty, humility, forgiveness and excellence still a priority to you?
This is not a judgement call; it is a wake-up call.
