"I Want to Find the Pilot"

A vessel in which Peter shipped was struck by lightning and one of his shipmates was killed. It sobered Peter and made him think of the judgment day. He went to his locker and took out his Bible.
“I want to find the Pilot who can weather me through that storm. It’s scary business shipmates, to find us on a lee-shore there, with the rocks of our sins right long-side, and hell yawning not far off.” Peter took to reading his Bible, but did not make much headway till he came into port. As soon as he was off duty he went straight to a sailor’s meeting.
“I want to find the great Pilot,” said Peter to the preacher after the service.
“The Great Captain of Salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ,” said the preacher. “He is here, nigh to every poor sinner that calls on him.”
“I’m one of them,” said Peter, the tears running down his face, “I paint any chart, compass, or anchor, and I am pretty near water-logged in my sins, and am drifting to perdition. I want the Pilot that went on the fishing smack on Galilee, and said to the skipper when he was well-nigh sinking, ‘It is I, be not afraid.’ Tell me how can I get to Him?”
“Down on your knees, Peter, and pray; tell Him just how you feel, and just what you want, and don’t give up or put off till you find Him, for He says, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find.’”
Peter got down on his knees, and cried to the Lord: “Save me, Lord, or I perish,” was the burden of his prayer. And He who says, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out,” heard and saved Peter.
From that time Peter was a changed man — a new man — he was the same old weather-beaten sailor, but he had a new heart and a right spirit.
“Don’t put it off,” he said, as he warned his old companions.
“I must take time to think,” said one of them.
“To think of what?” said Peter. “Whether you are a sinner? You know you are. Whether you will be forever lost if you die as you are? You know you will. Whether the Lord Jesus can save you? You know He can. Breakers are ahead, your anchors won’t hold you; do not put it off.”
“I am not so bad as you think; I am not so bad as some others,” said another.
“But you are bad enough,” said old Peter. “The best sinner on earth is too bad for heaven. One sin ruined Adam. You are drifting you know where. This calm is dreadful. Your keel will soon ground on the rocks. Oh, that you would cry out now, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ Hail the Great Pilot. Do not put it off.”
Old Peter loved the young people. “Bless God that you are young,” he used to say. “They that seek Me early shall find Me.” The Great Captain of our Salvation loves the young. Ship in His service, boys. ‘Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not.’ Then your anchor will never snap; you will never drag your anchors; the devil’s craft will never run into you. Ship in His service, boys; do not put it off.”
“Loving Words.”