Salvage and salvation

Salvage and salvation                                                                         
 
Over a lifetime, in my own way,
I’ve been moving toward You –
 
in darkness, by fits and starts, studying warily
the scriptures, claims, promises,
 
attuning myself to some real
or imagined inner guide.
 
Here and there at various speeds and coming
now and then to a complete stop,
 
wondering which bedimmed fork to take,
or why go on with such a lonely, desperate search.
 
But only very recently, the sun has peeked
over the heaving edge of the world
 
enough for me to see that I have
ever been trekking the vast deck of a ship
 
as You return me surely, safely,
irrevocably to home port.
 
I’m leaning on the rail right now,
taking in the breaking sun, the salt wind
 
and wondering what I might do, if anything,
to aid in my own salvage and salvation.
 
O child of God, learn your ship duties;
prepare well for the immeasurable voyage ahead.