I Believe We Are All Like Seamen

Brightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy

Philip Paul Bliss was directing the singing for a series of services being conducted by the well-known preacher Dwight L. Moody. As he closed his message, Moody told the story of a captain who was attempting to bring his boat to the Cleveland harbor one very dark and stormy night.

       The waves rolled like mountains, Moody said, and not a star was to be seen in the clouded sky. He pictured the boat rocking on the violent waves as the captain peered through the darkness for the sight of a signal light by means of which to guide his vessel to safety. When he finally spotted a single light from the light-house, he turned to the pilot and asked:

       “Are you sure this is Cleveland harbor?”

       “Quite sure, sir,” the pilot replied.

       “Then where are the lower lights?” the captain continued.

       “Gone out, sir,” the other man answered.

       “Can you make the harbor?” the captain asked anxiously.

       “We must, or perish, sir,” the pilot replied.

       But despite his strong heart and brave hand, in the darkness he missed the channel. With a resounding crash the boat piled up on the rocks and then settled slowly to a watery grave.

       As the congregation listened intently, Moody concluded with this admonition to the Christians:

       “Brethren, the Master will take care of the great light-house; let us keep the lower lights burning.”

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We are all like seamen. We've been sent on a journey into the dark and raging waters of the sea, to return home to the welcoming docks of our Heavenly Father. Though sometimes we may feel alone and swallowed in the darkness of the waters, we need not to fear and we need not feel alone. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with numerous sources of light that will guide us home.

The first and most important is our Savior, Jesus Christ; He is the lighthouse shining ever so brightly at the docks of our Father. He is there to be a perfect guide and to protect us from the rocks we may face throughout our journey.

We are also blessed with the light of the stars; also known as the words of the prophets living and past.  If we study the stars we will be guided to the dock of our Father.

Lastly, is the lanterns of those seamen who are striving to return home. We are blessed by having each other. Some people will refuse to see the stars, some will refuse to see the lighthouse and some refuse to see both, but in times of trial sometimes all they need is to see the light of one of their fellow seamen to help them strive to follow the lights Heavenly Father has provided for us.

Many of us are struggling seamen, striving to follow the lights as best we can. We need to make it a priority to raise our lantern and let it shine as brightly as possible; we may never know who is following our light. It is also our responsibility to find those who may be lost and alone. It is our responsibility to help them see the stars and the lighthouse of Christ. Once a struggling seamen who was lost, finds the light and is striving to follow it, it becomes undeniable that is the only way. The struggling seaman is then filled with hope and cannot help but raise their lantern for all to see and follow. (D&C 50:24)