Ready to Sail

“A Christian should be always as a ship that hath takeji in its lading and is prepa7’ed and furnished with all ma7iner of tackling, ready to set sail, 07ily expecting the good wind to carry him out of the havenP Would to God it were always so with us. We are fully stored and equipped in Christ Jesus, and yet we do not always enjoy the holy quiet which ought to spring out of so divine a fact. All is well. Why do we not feel that it is so? Why do we fear to depart? There remains nothing for us but to obey the call, let loose the cable, and float into the heavenly haven; but we act as if it were not so, and often dread the time for commencing the last voyage. It is more important to be prepared to live aright than to be in an ecstasy at the thought of death; but, still, while we are ready for service, it is sweet also to be ready for glory. The thought of death should never put us in a flurry. It should be everyday work to die: indeed, we should be always dead with Christ. Where this is realized death is dead, and as children are not afraid of a dead lion, so we also are not disturbed at the prospect of departing out of this world unto the Father.

“All that remains for me
Is but to love and sing.

And wait until the angels come
To bear me to my king.”