Spiritual Dry Dock
This is an audio recording of Spiritual Dry Dock the Day 4 entry in Today for Seafarers (Vol. 1) devotional by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Sheila Margerrison or read the text below:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
No matter how beautiful a new ship may look on the day it is commissioned, it will eventually have to go to dry dock. Surely a good quality ship will not have to go for repairs very often, but it will need to be refurbished or refit sometime in its life.
It may be unusual for us to think of our own lives this way, but we often have go to dry dock ourselves. After a nine-month contract, a seafarer returns home for vacation. Some seafarers work during their vacation, but most take a lot of time to sleep, spend time with family, watch TV, relax, and rest up for their next contract.
It is important that we have times of vacation and refreshment. Our body and spirit can become worn and old if we work them for too long without rest.
If this is true for our body, it is much more important for our spiritual life. Often we overlook or just ignore the emotional and spiritual stress on our life. When we don’t take regular care of our spiritual life, we eventually find that we can no longer continue as if nothing is wrong. We need a dry dock for our soul.
Jesus had rest and restoration in mind for us when he invited us to join our lives to his. When we cannot bear the burdens of our lives alone, he invites us to be comforted by him. In Matthew 11:28-30 he says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
And as the Scripture for this reading promises, “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
For Further Thought
How do you know if you are taking care of your spiritual life?
How can we find spiritual peace if we are worn out?
Why is prayer so important for taking care of our spiritual lives?
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for the comfort you have given me. You are the Lord over land, air, and sea. You are with me no matter where I am. Please bless me on this ship and take care of me throughout my contract. Be also with my family who are so far away. Provide for me physically— and spiritually. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
