Admiral of the Fleet Lord Tovey GCB, KBE, DSO, (7 March 1885 – 12 January 1971) from the transcript of a broadcast and cited in Tested by Experience, published by the Officers’ Christian Union (now Armed Forces’ Christian Union) of unknown date.
I was the last of a family of eleven, and from my earliest recollections my mother continued my father’s practice of holding family prayers every morning. What influenced me more than anything else was the example of my mother’s life, every moment of which she lived and practised the Christianity she taught us. It is not surprising then that, when I left home at fifteen to go to sea, I had an unquestioning belief in God and in His Love and in the efficacy of prayer, based on the faith my mother gave me.
May I try to explain to you what my faith has meant to me. Going to sea as young as I did is a fairly abrupt entry into the open world. But I quickly came across many things I had never been taught about either at home or at school; looking back now, it would have helped and strengthened me if I had. As well as having to look after myself I found myself responsible for looking after men a good deal older than myself. Like every youngster starting a career, I came up against difficulties, a certain amount of hardship, and supposed, or sometimes real, injustices. At times I felt I had about reached the end of my tether.
It was then that it was a tremendous help to know that God was there, and one of the most comforting thoughts to me was then and always has been that, however much I make a mess of things, however much I disappoint Him, God still loves me.
If I pray and ask Him sincerely and penitently to forgive me and to help me not to make such a fool of myself again, I know that He will help me. If I see trouble looming up, and ask Him to give me strength, I know I will get it.
Most of us have occasions when we cannot sleep well, and in the early morning hours life appears terribly difficult, and the going more heavy than we can compete with, then is the time to remember the promise made to us by God, “Fear not, I am by thy side and will hold thy right hand.”
Thinking of that, one’s fears and anxieties fade away.
*Photo credit: https://www.pexels.com/@brettjordan