Imagine you are a rowing boat
Floating in the estuary
Sky blue, wooden gunwale, clinker built
Nothing flashy, sturdy, built by hand
And this boat is anchored
It’s bow fastened to a yellow buoy
Imagine that anchor is Christ
And as the tide comes in gently, the bow of the boat comes
   round to face the incoming tide and rise
And as the tide goes out, the rowing boat turns round to
   face the receding water
Receptive to the flow
Today the estuary is still
The rowing boat too is still
There is not a ripple, just this gentle turning round to face
   the tide
At other times this estuary will be rough, and the rowing
   boat will ride those waves, be rocked, though still held by
   the anchor and still turning to face the tide
You are that rowing boat
In calm and in storm still turning to face Christ
Rising and falling
Riding the tides.

Richard Carter