Shortly before midnight on 14 April 1912, four days into the ship’s first voyage, the Titanic (see photo) hit an iceberg and sank a couple of hours later. The sinking resulted in the death of 1 517 of the 2 223 people on board. At the time it was the world’s largest man-made moveable object. Elegance was the word for the Titanic’s trimmings, decor, menus, and entertainment. It was built for the richest of the rich. Some of the most advanced technology available at the time was used for the Titanic and it was described as “unsinkable.” Some said: “Not even God can let the Titanic sink”.
There are many stories about people who had very bad experiences because they trusted something “unsinkable”. Jesus told a story to illustrate how we can deceive ourselves: “There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. He began to think to himself, “I don’t have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? This is what I will do,” he told himself; “I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. Then I will say to myself, lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?” (Luke 12:16–21).
We should not trust anything (nor anyone!) so much that we could think, or say, “even God cannot…..”. While the Titanic was sinking, the people on board no longer boasted about the “unsinkable Titanic”. The band played the song: “Nearer, my God, to Thee”! Four years later, at a meeting of survivors of the Titanic disaster, a young man stood up and sorrowfully told how a certain Rev John Harper had given his jacket to him while they clung to debris in the water. Harper had led him to Christ and then disappeared under the water. As was the case with this (probably) rich young man, it so often happens that people only come to their senses when confronted by death. During such times one is stripped of all arrogance and searches for God: Nearer my God, to Thee, Nearer my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee.
Jesus loves us so dearly that He gave his life so that we can be God’s children for ever. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16). In such a One we can trust – in life and in death.
Our heavenly Father, thank You for the knowledge that we may always trust You. Amen.
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