I am he who calls you. I call you up, I call you out. Give me your life and I will do with it what pleases me. For I willingly laid down my life for you, so you could take up your cross and follow me. But only in my strength can you do this. That not of your own. For I am the God who restores you, I am the God who strengthens you, and I am the God who shields you. Now I send you out to restore, strengthen and shield those who I called you too. I am your shield. I am your buckler.
Look up buckler.
“a small round shield held by a handle at arm’s length”
Merriam Webster Dictionary
I am a portable shield; take me wherever you go. I will be used in close contact fighting.
Who gets close to you? Your enemies? Nay. Your foes? No. Your closet friends and family? Yes. The enemy will deceive them. He will use them to hurt you. But I am your buckler. I raise up a standard against him.
Look up buckler in water.
“A block of wood or plate of iron made to fit a hawse hole, or the circular opening in a half-port, to prevent water from entering when the vessel pitches.“
Wordnik Definitions
What is a Hawse Hole?
“HAWSE-Holes, are certain cylindrical holes cut through the bows of a ship on each side of the stem, through which the cables pass in order to be drawn into, or let out of the vessel, as occasion requires.”
USS Constitution museum
What causes a ship to pitch?
“This type of motion is often caused by waves moving perpendicular to the direction of motion of the ship. It refers to a side-to-side rolling that is created when waves strike the side of the ship hull. “
Marine Insight
What occasion is needed?
“Hawse holes, while necessary and important elements that allowed a ship to anchor safely when needed,one cable leads aft to a stowed anchor, the other leads forward to an anchor set on the bottom of the harbor. “
USS Constitution Museum
When the waves try to topple your ship, I am he that anchors you. Set yourself in me, and I will keep thee steady
Look up anchors
“Device usually of metal attached to a ship or boat by a cable and cast overboard to hold it in a particular place by means of a fluke that digs into the bottom.”
Merriam Webster Dictionary
I am your anchor in the storm. The anchor is attached to a cable that attaches to the ship. That cable is your faith, hope, and trust in me. And even if your faith falters like Peter’s did (Matthew 14), return your eyes to me. Cry out to me, and I will answer you. I will reset you in motion. I want you to get your eyes off the storm and keep them steadied and focused on me.
What am I doing, my beloved?