There is a ship...

There is a ship that sails the sea.

Its giant sails are the largest of any ship on the sea.

Rich, mahogany makes up the ship's body, the color deepened and clearly etched with time and travel.

Despite its enormity, the ship floats across the ocean waves with lightness and gracefulness, as though gliding above the waters rather than in them.

The Captain is always at the wheel, and his Son is always manning the highest crow's nest.

The Captain maneuvers with skill and precision.

The Son looks- not forward- but backward toward His People.

A series of smaller boats carry families and individuals-- the old and the young in their own vessels.

All are from different walks of life.

All joined together by the Captain, and His promise to them:

"I will lead you to peaceful green pastures; I will lead you to quiet waters. There, you will drink and never thirst again. There, you will find peace and rest for all eternity. Trust me, and I will lead you there safely! If you love me, obey my instructions. Then I will always be with you, and no harm will come to you!"

These were the Captain's instructions:

I will cast out a rope to you from my ship.

Grip the rope by your hand and hold onto it, always.

When you become afraid, look at my ship and listen to my Son. They will comfort you.

My Son will encourage you when the waves become stormy.

Connect your ship to others around you, stay close, and keep each other on course.

More than anything, do not let go of your rope.

Remember, it is I who is steering your course.

Do not fear or worry, but know that I am your Captain.

So off they sailed, a giant ship with hundreds of thousands of rowboats behind.

They were all connected directly to the Captain's ship by ropes, and many of the rowboats joined together with smaller ropes. During smooth sailing, they kept the Captain's simple commands, and never let go of their ropes.

The ship's crew were beautifully adorned in white sea shirts decorated with a lace-up front, white capris or skirts, with a thick iridescent sash around the middle. Iridescence also splashed across the lace-up front. They worked cheerfully and busily, singing the most gorgeous melodies of joy, peace, and thanksgiving with exquisite harmonies blending together. No man has ever heard such beautiful songs of such reverence!

During smooth sailing, there was merriment and community between the people, the Captain and his Son. But some people became cocky, confident that they did not need their ropes to sail the seas. They willingly let go of their ropes to the Captain's ship and sometimes to each other, full of pride as the sea is full of wind.

But many storms came and disrupted the calm. The Son would encourage them and remind them to not let go of their ropes. But the ones who has already let go would be so off-course that it became difficult to grab hold of them again. Sometimes, the smaller ships would grab hold of them using their smaller ropes, taking them in until the Captain launched another rope to secure them once more if they were willing. But sometimes, the hubris of those who let go carried them too far away, and they were lost in the pitching winds and tossing waves. Sometimes, the storm would cause some boats to take their eyes off the Captain's ship and instead on the violent, amassing chaos of the stormy seas. They would lose focus of their rope and let go. Many boats were lost during these storms. Sometimes, the main rope would be lost, but the connections between the other boats were so strong that the lost boat would endure the storm until the Son notifies the Captain to send another rope out. Other boats held on with all their might, clinging to their ropes and trusting the Captain to steer them to safety once more.

These storms tested the strength of the People's obedience to the Captain, and their trust in the Son. Bearing a storm was hard work, and required the strength to hold onto their own rope, while connecting to the ropes of others to stay strong and on course.

Then the storm was over, and there was much rejoicing.

The People thanked the Captain for steering them to safety,

and the People thanked the Son for His guidance and encouragement.

The winds died down, and those who gripped their ropes the tightest during the storms, and never took their eyes off the Captain's ship exclaimed,

"The workers on the Captain's ship-- did you hear? His crew..."

They never stopped singing.