When the Costa Concordia ran aground and sank in the Mediterranean Sea, I was distressed by the need to pray for all those poor souls trapped below deck and injured in the evacuation. It must have been a harrowing experience. Then when I heard that the captain “jumped ship,” so to speak, I was even more distressed.

So much for the old adage “The captain always goes down with his ship.”

It caused me to reflect that Jesus, our captain, would never jump ship. It is comforting to know that He said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you…” (Heb. 13.5). Unlike fallible men, we can depend on Jesus.

I take the same view of the current presidential election frenzy. It’s nice to have “political captains” out there, but my faith is in Christ, not candidates who profess to steer the ship of state with skill and integrity.

Now some may suggest that I need to be more grounded and recognize that good national leadership is essential to a healthy nation. I don’t deny that, but what’s more important is that our nation turn to God. Most believers know that, and so we confess it.

I would like to know that my captain (of state) reads His Bible every morning, like Abe Lincoln, or that he supports the Christian world view, rather than the party line. And, I certainly want a captain who reads His charts and pilots his ship accordingly.

We have the Bible and the U.S. Constitution to help us navigate through these troubled and treacherous waters. I want a person who’ll use them, respect them, and abide by them.