It’s in the news about the sailing yacht that sunk in Sicily. The yacht crew survived. I am ex-yacht crew and my husband is an ex-yacht captain, so we’ve got our theories and our hearts and minds have been captivated by this event.

The news is reporting that the yacht has sunk near Porticello, Italy, at anchor, taking the lives of six people. The yacht had a retractable keel and the 2nd tallest mast in the world, the portholes were open and a sudden, violent storm came up, all factors that combined to create something called “the vanishing point of stability”. As ex-yacht crew I am deeply saddened by this and my mind has been reeling knowing (somewhat) of what must have transpired. In the early hours of the morning while they were asleep, they were thrown from their beds, lying against the open portholes, the portholes were already rapidly taking on water. They would have had minutes to climb up the side of their cabins, using a lot of physical strength and alertness to literally “climb the walls” to get to their cabin doors and into the passage before the yacht filled with water. Perhaps they didn’t make it that far? It is horrible to imagine.

There should have been an anchor watch, where crew take turns sitting in the bridge watching the radar and taking note of the weather and position of other yachts at anchor, because you or the other yachts can drag anchor and smash into rocks, or each other, at night. There should have been “standing orders”: what to do if, wind speeds reach x; if the radar says y, and the golden rule that states: “if you are in any doubt call the captain”. Perhaps they were doing all those things and that is how the crew made it out alive? The crew would be well-training for emergencies. They would have been working and thus sober. Yacht crew are physically fit and, mostly, young, thus physically able to exit their cabins and swim away from the yacht, and climb aboard the life rafts (not easy to do). It is an unimaginable disaster for everyone on board. The captain will be uterlly wrecked by this. Was the captain negligent is the question on everyone’s minds? And he knows it. I cried for the captain this morning, knowing how great his grief and fear will be. His career is likely over, and that is at the very least. The guilt he will feel, even if he isn’t found to have been negligent, will be lifelong.

Then because this is a spiritual blog, the Holy Spirit is speaking to me about this story which has so gripped my imagination. My daily devotion this morning was about shipwrecks (if you can believe it?). Opened my book and bam: shipwrecks. With the verse: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul” Hebrews 6:19. In this case, the anchor didn’t save them and I started exploring this metaphor. These are my thoughts:

The anchor only holds or saves us under the right conditions, and then it is up to us to make contingency plans. We also, as the captain of our ship, are, first of all, always making assessments about the safety of all the souls on board our vessel. The souls on board are symbolic of our own eternal souls and those we affect eternally as well. (For example: if we are an alcoholic who knows Jesus and yet chooses to drink and neglect our children, he/she not only places his/her own soul at risk in eternity but his/her children’s as well). Our safety considerations as the captain: what does the weather report say and is it safe for us to be out here? Or, should we be tied up at a dock in a sheltered bay? Are the crew responsible people? Have I made sure to follow all the safety protocols? Is the yacht well-maintained to ensure safe passage for all the souls on board? (There are codes of requirement ensuring these things are in place). The Captain has spent $$$$ on licenses and training, with years and years of experience. If all the above questions and considerations are weighed and it is deemed that the vessel and the souls are safe, only then is the vessel at anchor. At anchor the captain is asking himself as well as the other senior crew, continually: is it safe in this position? This the captain knows is not guaranteed. Thus he/she anticipates: other vessel’s anchors failing and thereby putting us in danger or, our own anchor dragging or, a sudden storm to overtake us. The captain must be trained, experienced, sober and alert, ready for anything. The level of responsibility is huge and he/she is well-paid for this position, given access to many privileges for which he/she must never get lazy and forget.

In this case, something went drastically wrong, as we know.

My devotion talked about what storms have happened in our own lives: financial, health, relationships and how if we aren’t prepared for these, we can experience disaster. Thing is we can’t prepare against having these storms, storms happen, it is what we do in response. How ready are we? First of all, we can ride out storms and even survive shipwrecks if we are doing what Jesus says to do. If we are trusting in Him, alone, for our hope and salvation. If we are not clinging to idols. If we don’t look to things like money, status, relationships, jobs, or health to keep us safe in storms because any one of these things can fail us. If we have not become lazy and complacent like the virgins without oil in their lamps. If we leave the portholes open: like opening ourselves up to sin or, if we don’t have The Watch in place: are maybe drunk/ stoned. If we have been foolish then, when the storm comes, we are in grave jeopardy. From experience, God allows (or sends) lesser storms to prepare us for the big one. Sometimes, as in my case, he sent loads of lesser storms before He sent the squall. Like the disciples in the boat, I cried out: “Jesus save me”, and He made the wind and waves go quiet but there were consequences, serious ones. The portholes in my life were left wide open and the keel was up. I thought I knew better than God and I paid for my error in judgement.

Recently, I’ve had lesser storms come my way and I’ve had to go around slamming portholes shut. I’d allowed some to stay open. Justifying those decisions with: “This can’t hurt right? Everyone is doing it”. Yikes. Do we not realise the mortal danger we are in? When The Watch is not prepared? Have I not remained grateful and cognisant of the blessings I have in caring for little souls, my reputation, my account before God, the rescuing and redemption I have already received!

But, if we are ready, when we are temperate, if we are prayed up, have planted the Word of Truth deep into our minds and hearts, have closed the portholes on wilful sins (and kept them closed), then when we face storms, we can ride them out securely. When the Captain is awake and watching, and he sees the windspeed pick up above x, he starts the engines and begins putting the keel down, he has all the crew woken and on alert to wake the guests. The general alarm is then sounded, warning the guests. He plays it safe. He doesn’t take any chances. The anchor is taken up and the ship is turned into the wind. In a sailing vessel like this one, if we are set up, we can take a storm. Like Paul in Acts 27 that, much less advanced, vessel faced a hurricane and not a single soul was lost, because, of course, God was with them in the storm.

Fact is, I have left portholes open and been asleep when I should have been awake. I haven’t played it 100% safe all the time. I’ve taken risks with the safety of all the souls on board. By grace, I have not faced a squall at the wrong time. “Lord, forgive me my foolishness! Grant me more grace, more wisdom and more determination to be wise and not unwise. To be a virgin with oil to the brim of my lamp, a captain on watch, with all the boxes ticked, just in case. Amen.” My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy. It could happen to anyone and that is just it, take heed: the storm is coming, be ready and don’t take any chances.