Who's at the Helm?

This is a picture of my 11-year old, taken on our visit to Portsmouth, Virginia, a week or so ago. We saw a lot of the tall schooners that participated in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. My brother gave us a tour of The Amistad, the schooner he crewes on. Here's my daughter posing at the helm. Doesn't she look like she knows what she's doing?

Looking at this picture, it occurred to me--a lot of us like to pose at the helm of our own lives. We like to look like we know what we're doing. We like the idea that we're in control, that our lives will go on whatever course we set. The truth, however, is that each of us is like that 11-year old who only looks proud at the wheel. We have no more idea how to steer our own lives than this cute kid knows how to direct a ship. Isn't it a great thing that we have a Master Helmsman who knows where to take us?

Then another thing occurred to me--in just a few short days, we're going to elect the next President of the United States. We're going to put someone at the helm--someone who can stand proudly and look like he knows what he's doing. But neither candidate has ever worn the presidential shoes before. They can debate all they want about who's the most qualified for the office, but when you get right down to it, whoever wins will be in uncharted waters--at least in his own personal life.

Praise God that whoever wins the election, the Master Helmsman knows how to steer the ship of our nation as well. With all the uncertainty, let's remember as we sail that God won't set us adrift.