It wasn’t until we boarded our cruise a couple of weeks ago that I first heard the term Muster Station. Like many other people, when I’m not sure what something is, I do what I think is going to provide me with the quickest information on any given subject; I google it.
Muster Station (n.): an assembly of troops, as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.
About 30 minutes prior to setting sail, we were summoned to Muster Station E where we would take part in an emergency procedures drill. As a former flight attendant, I don’t take these drills lightly as I know how important it is to be prepared in the event of an emergency.
Before the drill began the crew members waited for everyone who was supposed to be in that particular station to arrive and upon arrival we were all instructed to remain silent. This of course was so that once the drill began everyone could hear the instructions that were being given out by the cruise director via the loudspeaker system.
Honestly, the silence in the room was a little eerie. The seriousness of the crew members actually gave the impression that a real emergency was taking place and I had to keep reminding myself it was just a drill by looking out the window and seeing that we were still docked.
Once the drill began, we became familiar with escape routes, safety evacuation measures, the proper use and location of life vests, as well as where our lifeboat embarkation station was. We were also instructed that in the event of an emergency this would be our meeting place.
I finally understood Muster Station E was a preparation area.
There’s a quote by an unknown author that states “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle”. I can’t help but see the correlation between this quote and the Muster Station. If a real emergency would have taken place while aboard the ship, we would have been completely aware of what the procedures were and what our plan of survival was. Of course, there is always room for panic, but because we were rehearsed on the course of action to take it would have made the situation a little easier to deal with. The 30 minutes of awkward silence and semi-realistic role play were not only useful, but necessary.
The same preparation strategy applies to our daily lives as well. The more we sweat in practice, the less we bleed in battle.
If during the rough times we don’t have God to refer to, or His Word and promises to fall back on, the panic will overtake us and we will not know what to do. You see God’s Word is like a life vest; hope if we put it on and hopelessness if we don’t.
So how exactly do we prepare at our spiritual Muster Stations? Let’s take a look:
P – Preventive Prayer – Preventive Prayer is like preventive medicine. Do it before hand and it guards against the enemy and offers us protection.
R– Relationship – Establish a relationship with God where you worship, praise, and communicate with Him daily. Remember that it’s a dialogue not a monologue. Set aside time to hear from Him.
E – Endurance – Seeking God is not a Sprint but a marathon. You’re in it for the long run. Commit to setting apart quality time with Him daily.
P – Position – Remember who you are at all times. Forgiven and redeemed and in a position to receive all His promises because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.
A – Affirmations – Remind yourself of who you are, who He is, and what His promises are and confess those daily.
R – Reading His Word – Reading the bible is a discipline. Commit to reading a portion daily.
E – Expect – Call those things that aren’t as if they are. Remember your words have power. Expect His favor everyday in every situation.
Take time today to prepare and remember that practice makes perfect!
