Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Titanic

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+16:18&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt%2024:44&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%204:12&version=NIV1984

I don’t know what it is about April 15th but it sure doesn’t seem to be a very good day.  It was on April 15th, 1865 that President Abraham Lincoln died after having been shot the day before.  April 15th, 1945 was also the day that British troops liberated the Bergen/Belsen Concentration Camp in Germany, revealing to the world the terrible atrocities that had been committed there.  April 15th is also the day that taxes are due to the Federal government here in the United States.  Coincidently, it was on April 15th, 1992 that Leona Helmsley, an American businesswoman, was sentenced to a 4-year prison term - for tax evasion!  Of course, another infamous historical event that happened on April 15th was the sinking of the ocean liner, the Titanic.

The Titanic was the ship of all ships.  It was the largest ship in the world.   It was constructed with all of the best engineering and technology of the time. And the most modern conveniences, including a gymnasium, swimming pool, Turkish bath, squash court and lending library.  It even had an on-board telephone system and passengers had access to a wireless telegraph.  The ship was so well-built that it was claimed to be ‘virtually unsinkable’.  Well, we all know now that was not true.  Several days into its maiden voyage, the Titanic struck an iceberg, opening a long gash on its starboard side.  Unfortunately this gash was also below the waterline.  Less than 3 hours later, the unthinkable happened.  The ‘unsinkable’ Titanic sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic ocean.  As a result 1,517 people lost their lives.  This included some very rich and influential people.  And a number of poor immigrants.  All gone to a watery grave.

As word of the disaster spread grief, shock and disbelief were widespread.  Inquiries were made on both sides of the Atlantic.  In the aftermath, improved safety measures were implemented, such as ensuring there were an adequate amount of lifeboats aboard each ship.  Regular lifeboat drills were also mandated.  And wireless equipment on passenger ships were to be staffed around the clock.

So what can we learn from the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago?  First of all, that’s its always better to be ‘safe than sorry’.  Believing that icebergs posed no threats to large ships, the Titanic’s crew ignored reports from others ships in the area about icebergs.  As a result, when the Titanic did strike an iceberg it was going full-steam.  Very foolish in retrospect.  Secondly, we should always prepare for the worst.  Unfortunately, since no one envisioned the Titanic as sinking, it had only enough lifeboats on board for one-third of its passengers.  And the crew wasn’t familiar with how many people each one could hold.  The result was that of the few lifeboats available, a number of them were launched half-full.  That is a double tragedy.  Thirdly, life often takes sudden, unexpected turns.  I’m sure that if we polled all the people who were on board the Titanic before it struck the iceberg, none of them expected for the ship to sink.  Not the passengers.  Or the crew.  Or the captain.  Or the designer.  Or the owners.  Everyone of them fully expected the Titanic to make a safe transatlantic voyage.  Unfortunately, they were wrong.  All of them.

Such is the way of life.  No matter how well things are going in our lives today, we never know what tomorrow may bring.  Or even tonight for that matter.  An accident.  A heart attack.  A disaster.  That is why we need to be prepared.  Prepared for death.  Prepared to go out into eternity.  Prepared to meet God there.  Because one never knows.

What we need is a Jesus.  He is the ultimate lifeboat.  When everything around us begins to sink He will carry us safely through.  That’s why we call Him our Savior.

Lord, I thank you for the security that I have in Jesus.  Nothing can separate me from His love.  He is my Rock.  My shelter in the time of storm.  No matter what happens in my life I know that Jesus will help me.  He will see me safely to the end of my voyage.  Until I reach the shores of Heaven.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

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