By
Sharon Patrick, Contributing Writer
Suddenly a terrible storm came up, with waves higher than the boat.
Matthew 8:24 (TLB)
A rogue wave is large, unexpected, dangerous, and very unpredictable; and often comes from directions other than the prevailing wind and waves. I once watched a documentary called Abandoned, a story about Rose Noelle, a forty-foot trimaran yacht that encountered a rogue wave while sailing in the southern Pacific Ocean.
The sixty-foot monster wave blindsided this crew, turning them upside down. Half submerged under water, the captain attempted to calm his inexperienced crew, explaining to them that the yacht wouldn’t sink because of its design, which
consisted of three side-by-side hulls. Despite his efforts, the crew strongly distrusted their captain’s ability. But he maintained a steadfast faith that they would all make it
out alive. Although anticipating a quick rescue with the ship’s distress beacon, they ended up drifting on the sea for 119 days.
Like a rogue wave coming out of nowhere, the devil hits us with circumstances to toss us about or turn us upside down, making us believe we’ll sink and not survive. And, like the crew of Rose Noelle, we are sometimes leery of trusting the ability of
our skilled, seafaring Captain, Jesus.
After four months at sea, although elated with land in view, the crew of Rose Noelle found themselves in even more danger. As the yacht approached the rocky shore-line and the crashing surf, their vessel began to break apart in shark-infested waters.
At times, just before our rescue, the devil will bring about even fiercer circumstances in an attempt to destroy us. However, we must continue to trust our Captain until we are safely on shore. In the end, each crewmember of Rose Noelle was safely rescued.
Has the devil brought a rogue wave into your life? Circumstances may tempt you to distrust your Savior, but He is trustworthy in every way. Look at the cross. Through it, He has rescued every distressed, seafaring soul, including yours.
