Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
A heading is a nautical term that means the horizontal direction of a vessel’s bow at a given moment measured in degrees clockwise from north. “Steady on” is a helm order to steer as needed to keep a vessel firmly placed or fixed, stable in position or equilibrium on its present heading.
Steering a ship effectively requires skills gained through training and experience. An expert helmsman has a keen sense of how a particular ship will respond to the helm or how different sea conditions impact steering. For instance, experience teaches a helmsman the ability to correct the rudder in advance of a ship substantially falling off course.
These skills also require a capacity to anticipate the delay between when the helm is applied and when the ship responds to the rudder. Similarly, a skilled helmsman will avoid overcompensating for a ship’s movement caused by local conditions, such as wind, swells, currents, or rough seas.
How can I become an expert helmsman? Psalm 119 says God’s Word is a lamp to guide me in the darkness of night and an added source of clarity to show me how things really are in the light of day—and how to navigate appropriately. Do I listen intently to the teachings of the Word of God? Do I obey the direction of the Holy Spirit in my life?
How can I gain the skills to steer a steady on course in my life today? By practicing doing the next right thing. What is the next right thing? The thing that is wise and reasonable. The thing that is born of calm and control. The thing that will please God and that will please me as I look back and examine my steering skills as a helmsman later on in my life.
Can my Heavenly Father count on me to do the next right thing? O Lord, stretch me now through the training and experiences you allow in my life so that I can become an excellent helmsman. Then help me do the next right thing… and the next… and the next… steady on!