THE LIFEBOAT YOU NEED

THE LIFEBOAT YOU NEED

Some Quarantine Thoughts

“Mightier than the waves of the sea is His love for you.” Psalm 93:4

 

 

'Titanic' is a masterpiece blockbuster movie directed by the equally popular James Cameron. Everyone knows Jack and Rose and their everlasting love story. Everyone knows how it’s based upon the true story of the once largest boat afloat in 1912 which met with a tragic accident on its maiden voyage. I’m not boring you with what you already know, but with what I felt yesterday as I saw it again on TV. 

The Titanic has hit the iceberg. The captain and crew try not to create panic. Everyone is told to wear warm clothes and a lifejacket, and to come to the deck. Rose’s mother Ruth tells her stewardess to keep the water heater as she would want a hot coffee as she comes back to her room. Wow. What arrogance. Now doesn’t that sound familiar to what is happening in our world even now? 

I’m not saying that all first class aristocrats are arrogant. But still the disparity is underlying-very deep inside-grown over the centuries and millenniums. Today as we fight the pandemic also, those who have money are catered to instantly. On another side, there are many millions who don’t heed to the government guidelines to take care of themselves, thinking that it’s not for them. Freedom. It’s their freedom not to wear a mask. Oh right. Cal Hockley, Rose’s fiancé, is the epitome of pride all through his scenes. He wants his way done and revenge shown even as the ship is sinking. Aren’t we like that sometimes?! 

The Captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith says before the voyage begins that “even God Himself couldn’t sink the Titanic”. Such dependence on a man-made vessel of iron. He even refused to alter course and disregarded warnings of the icebergs from other ships relying on the modern shipbuilding techniques. Our generation still hasn’t learned. We are technologically advanced and live in such luxury and conveniences than ever before. We never imagined this society will sink. A virus is out loose and knocking at our door, but we still hold onto our temporary comforts and refuse to believe the sights of the world slowly falling apart. It has been crumbling for years now. But we humans just go on with our busy immoral lives, reluctant to accept a higher power that can send us a lifeboat when we need it the most. 

Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic. Noah was submissive to God, while the builders of the great ship were overconfident. Noah had warned the people about what was to come, but even as the iceberg hit the vessel there were people blissfully ignoring the shakes and sounds around them. Even ancient Israel was like that. They did not want to hear about the right things or their mistakes. They wanted to know of the smooth things. James 4:13 & 14 says, “You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Life is like a vapour that appears for a little time, then vanishes away.” It’s time to take off your blindfolds and look around you. We don’t have to go down with the sinking ship or let those around us sink either. 

The Carpathia comes to rescue those who lost everything that day. Out of 2,200 only 700 boarded the lifeboats, were shifted to the Carpathia and taken to New York, which was the original destination of Titanic. How many lives were lost; how much wealth. A tragedy which could have been avoided. Cameron omitted the episode of the Californian, which is a huge part of the real Titanic tragedy. The Californian is one of the ships that had sent out warning messages about the iceberg. Later, as it was night, they had stopped their journey and even turned off their signals. So they didn’t receive Titanic’s call for help. But the crew had revealed that they saw eight white rockets in the sky which surely indicated an emergency nearby and even though they were the nearest, the Captain did not allow to go in the night to help them. Titanic was able to connect with the Carpathia, which was four hours away and by the time it came most of the passengers had died in the cold ocean unable to find place in the 20 lifeboats floating around them. It was interesting to read in the internet that unlike the Captain of the Californian, Captain Arthur Rostron of the Carpathia conducted a thanksgiving prayer for those who were saved and a memorial service for those who lost their lives in the sea. 

What do we learn from this piece of history? How many calamities and tragedies have come our way already, and how many more should come for us to open our eyes? Do we blindly believe that this world or any particular country is unsinkable? Is THE END near? Will we be helpful to those in need like the Carpathia or ignorant like the Californian? Do we just think that we’ll later bribe someone for a seat in the lifeboat- maybe even God? 

We are speeding into the dark waters at full speed, ignoring all warnings, unheeding to the signs, unwilling to detour. We hear the cries around us, but continue to 'sleep'. We know we’ve done something wrong, but just don ‘t allow our conscience to stop us or open our hearts to God’s way. We might even keep a 'Do not disturb' sign at our door. We think money, science and technology can solve any problem and take pride in temporary man-made mansions of concrete and lies. Immorality is our way of life and we don’t care about the free pollution. We like to sit back and enjoy watching someone else’s life on screen as if it’s a movie. Even a Coronavirus can’t change us. We don’t want to be saved. Right? 

Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) That should be our key to open the room filled with lifeboats. Don’t wait to pay the great cost of this world’s destruction. Repent. Reconcile. Revamp. Jack is the most realistic and reasonable person on-board in the movie Titanic. He looks at life as a gift which should not be wasted. “You learn to take life as it comes to you...to make each day count.”

People criticize believers nowadays more than ever, asking 'Where is your God now?” They asked the same question while Noah built his ark. So it is not their fault. God is right in front of you – in the trees, flowers, moon, stars, birds, animals and even in your own DNA. There are mysteries in the whole universe no science can explain. The Creator only can solve them. We might lose our family members or friends on the way. We ourselves might be inflicted by a disease. But we should "Never let go" and keep looking out for that last lifeboat to jump in away from the perils of this world. In the meanwhile- 

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,

Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. 

Weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen

Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. 

-Fanny Crosby 

 

Wait and be prepared. For THE END is nearer than it was yesterday. Find your lifeboat and be mindful that there’s room for many. 

Remya Rachel Thomas