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ROCK THE BOAT, DON’T ROCK THE BOAT JESUS
INTRODUCTION
Rock the Boat, Don’t Rock the Boat Baby (Hues Corporation — Rock the Boat). Oh, the wonderful memories this song brings back. Memories from the ’80s, when I was young, footloose and fancy-free. What a fun song to bop my head to, do the rock to and just chill to with my cousins and friends.
I had absolutely no idea this song would take on a new meaning for me while stranded on Holland America’s Zaandam cruise ship in March 2020. One of the things I did to fight boredom during our quarantine was to search for and listen to boat-related songs, like Fantastic Voyage (Lakeside — Fantastic Voyage (Official Music Video) and Sail On (Commodores — Sail On). I would rock it out in our little cabin in an attempt to stay sane while simultaneously annoying my husband. But when I played Rock the Boat, something happened. I heard from God (I’m not kidding), and He asked me a question, mid-rock: “Isn’t this song just like you? You want me to rock the boat (i.e., answer your prayers, give you a blessing, move mountains, perform miracles), but if the answer isn’t just as you envisioned, in the timeframe you determined, you begin to backtrack.All of a sudden, your “Rock My boat” becomes, cries of “Never mind! Don’t rock the boat, Jesus!”
Talk about an “Aha Moment” (or maybe an OUCH Moment)! You see, I desperately wanted this trip. I wanted to celebrate my 50th birthday in style. I wanted to do something big. I wanted to check another thing off of my bucket list. I had a plan and a vision. And I even shared it with God. I just needed His stamp of approval.
But little did I know that this trip would be the antithesis of all my planning and visioning. And while it didn’t turn out to be the answered prayer I wanted, it answered so many other prayers prayed and long forgotten. God’s plan and purpose turned out to be so much more impactful, meaningful and miraculous than anything I could ever have hoped for or imagined.
I pray that my testimony inspires you and that the lessons I learned and the miracles I experienced on “the boat” will encourage you during your “Rock the boat, don’t rock the boat Jesus” moments. And in case you’re thinking, “I haven’t had a “stranded on the boat, lost at sea moment” so how could this possibly relate to me?” Believe me, I get it. I’m sure that your “boat” may not be anything like mine. Most likely, it’s not a boat at all. But truth be told, while few will experience being quarantined on an actual boat, we all have had or will have our “boat experiences.” No, you may not have had the experience of being lost at sea for a month, but I bet you can relate to that feeling of being lost with no view of hope on the shoreline. Or what about the experience of weathering crashing waves and raging storms? You know that experience when you’re having financial challenges, and just as soon as you’ve figured out how to pay the light bill, the air conditioning goes out, only for you to discover that your spouse has Cancer right on the heels of bailing your child out of jail. Wave after wave after wave, with no chance to catch your breath. Or maybe you’re desperately trying to figure out how to get out of the boat you’re in and experience the miracle of walking on water. You have a dream of starting your own business, or you want to launch your singing career or write a book. You know you need to get out of the boat, but the waters seem a bit scary. Or maybe you like your boat, but you need to throw some people overboard so they can learn to swim for themselves. Maybe you need to discover that you can’t save them, and if you’re not careful, their weight may just pull you down and threaten to drown you both. Or perhaps you just need to learn to ride the waves. Lay back and float for a while.
Whatever your boat experience may be, I hope you’ll join me on this journey as I share the many lessons learned from my month-long COVID-19 adventure aboard the Holland America Zaandam and Rotterdam Cruise ships, from March 6th to April 4th, 2020. Let’s rock it out together, discovering what God has in store for you and me!
Scripture
Isaiah 55:8-9 – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Reflections
How does Isaiah 55:8-9 speak to you?
- Think about the boat you’re in right now. Is it the boat you want to be in? Is it headed in the direction you want to be going? If not, what’s preventing you from getting off the boat or from setting sail in a different direction?
- Reflect upon a time when you prayed desperately for something, that something was granted, and then you discovered that it was not in alignment with God’s plans and purposes for you. How might you have prayed differently?
- How might understanding the character of God contribute to understanding the plans and purposes He has for you?
- What are your personal LIFE Lessons?
- Liberation: What new insights have you gained that have freed you from past thoughts or practices?
- Inspiration: In what ways have you been spiritually, emotionally or mentally motivated to live for Christ?
- Fortification: What additional scriptural texts, passages or stories can reinforce and strengthen you against the attacks of the enemy?
- Edification: How might you share your story to edify others and bring glory to God?
Playlist
As you process, digest, and apply what’s been shared, here are a couple of songs from my “Got Me Through on the Boat” Playlist. Listen. Let the music infiltrate your soul. Read the lyrics and let the words encourage you. And I pray that you’ll be blessed as I was.
- Rock The Boat — The Hues Corporation — Hues Corporation — Rock the Boat
- In The Eye of the Storm — Ryan Stevenson — Ryan Stevenson | Eye of the Storm (feat. GabeReal) [Radio Version] {Official Lyric Video}
Prayer
Father, Thank You for Your love, hope, and salvation. I know that these are turbulent times in which we’re living, but despite this, thank you for the reminder that I am not alone. Thank You for being my ultimate life preserver; I cling to the promise that because You created the winds and the waves, with just a word, You can also calm them. I invite peace to reign in my heart even while I’m in the midst of a storm. Thank you for your faithfulness, and I give You all of my praise, honor, and glory. In Your name I pray, Jesus, Amen.