Hanging Loose in God’s Harbour

“Your rigging hangs loose: the mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder.”
Isaiah 33:23 (NIVUK)

I LOVE this verse. “Your rigging hangs loose.” What a strange, beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God. Isaiah is speaking about Zion, the city of God — a place of festival, security, feasting and joy — where the Lord Himself is King and Saviour (Isaiah 33:22). It’s the image of a ship no longer battling the open sea, but resting safely in harbour. Lines loosened. Pressure gone. Threat over. Home at last.

I used to work around beautiful Mediterranean sailing boats — some owned by pop stars, some used in Bond movies, many enjoyed by the ultra-wealthy. In winter, when no one was sailing and the boats were safely tucked into harbour, everything changed. All those taught lines holding the mast steady were loosened. Sometimes the mast was even removed and laid gently across the deck. There were no storms to fight here. No urgency. No striving. Just rest.

As I walked the piers during those quiet months, the dominant sound wasn’t engines or activity — it was the soft clackety-clack of loose rigging moving gently in the wind. It was the sound of stillness. Sabbath. Fallow ground. Off duty. A season without pressure.

And God says, this is what My Kingdom is like for you.

Rest Is Not Retreat — It’s Trust

“You can hang loose,” Heaven whispers. “Let the pressure go.” God promises to save, defend and fight for His people (Exodus 14:14). And here’s the astonishing part — then the spoils are divided. Not after frantic effort. Not after anxious striving. But in rest. Even the lame carry off plunder (Isaiah 33:23). Grace does what strength never could.

We’re no longer battling the high seas of sin and strife. Through Jesus, we’ve entered peace with God (Romans 5:1). We’re anchored in His presence. Breathing deeply of Heaven’s calm. This is not laziness — it’s faith.

Jesus lived like this. He slept through storms (Mark 4:38). He withdrew often to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16). Only a small fraction of His life was spent in visible ministry, yet He fulfilled His entire purpose. He wasn’t driven, overextended or frantic. He only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). No striving. No overreaching. Just peaceful obedience.

Learning to Live Slack-Lined

What if we did the same? What if today we took a deep breath and loosened the lines? God is mighty — we are not. We hide ourselves in His strength (Psalm 91:1). We release the tension back to Him. We learn to live and love from Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9–10). Relaxed, not reckless. Calm, not careless. Faithful, not frantic.

Jesus invites us plainly: “Come to Me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–29). The harbour is open. The King is present. The rigging can hang loose.

Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration

I dwell securely in God’s presence; He is my judge, lawgiver and King, and He saves me completely (Isaiah 33:22). I enter God’s rest, ceasing from striving and trusting fully in His finished work (Hebrews 4:9–10). I let go of anxiety and receive God’s peace that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7). I rest under the shadow of the Almighty, safe and unafraid (Psalm 91:1). I am led beside quiet waters, and my soul is restored by the Lord (Psalm 23:2–3). I come to Jesus and receive true rest for my soul as I walk gently with Him (Matthew 11:28–29).

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