Learning the Ropes

On a clipper ship, the various ropes did various things, based on the various things the wind might be doing at the time. “Learning the ropes” was the process of learning how things worked so a sailor could know how to work.

A caterpillar is not trained regarding its life and work as a butterfly. Some of the work of flame and river and desert in your life is preparing you without information. David learned how to defeat Goliath in the fields where Jesse’s sheep lived, not by studying Philistines.

Some of the lack of information and reasonability and clarity we are gaining in the places where we are formed won’t be useful until we are on the field of battle where it must become useful.

“I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name. I am not telling you that I will make requests to the Father on your behalf. For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

“Ah!” His disciples said. “Now You’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. Now we know that You know everything and don’t need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came from God.”

Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? Look: An hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

(John 16:25-33 HCSB ©®)