Tonight's Word 🌱

"But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works."
-Psalm 73:28

This week, the world watched in shock as the frantic search for five passengers aboard a missing submersible vessel named the Titan ended in the discovery that it had already self-destructed in a tragic implosion. It is deeply ironic that this same vessel had gone in search of the sunken ship, the Titanic which had also met a tragic end on April 15, 1912. While there are many mixed emotions about the recent tragedy, my attention can't help but return to the historical demise of the SS Titanic. Maybe it was because of its size, or the idea of the rich and famous being on board that attracted so much attention, or maybe it was the hype surrounding the new ship, with someone famously boasting that "not even God could sink this ship". Maybe it was the subsequent namesake movie made that helped to further immortalize its story in our memories. (Confession : it's one of my favorite movies, as I have watched it several times, and it also serves as a good reminder of so many lessons in the Christian life).

“God himself could not sink this ship.”

The fascination with this event is worldwide, and understandably so. A ship built to create history, indeed created history for all the wrong reasons. Caught up in the drive to impress, amidst the music and revelry, the enjoyment of the finer things in life, the media hype, the preoccupation with wealth, ego and entertainment, all seemed to dull the senses to the danger ahead. Even when the impact occurred, the musicians kept playing and entertaining all who would listen, giving a false sense of security. People were numb to the danger they were in until it was too late. The final tune played by the ship's musicians is reported to have been 'Nearer my God to Thee'. If this was a reflection of the final thought process of the musicians and by extension the passengers of the sinking ship, it seems to depict a moment of clarity when facing the prospect of death. At that moment which all of us must come to, it seems that everything else that so easily surfaced as high priorities while alive is now cast aside as we clamour to draw near to God. 

The thought of being near to God as a desirable place to be is indeed valid. The psalmist David in his youth recognizes this when he says: "But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works." Throughout the Word, being in God's presence is described as safety, refuge, peace, healing, transformation, contentment, and holiness. While persons tend to seek the comfort of God's presence at the point of death, imagine if we were to pursue living in God's presence throughout our lifetime. This is in fact what we are called to do, as passengers in a world boat that is heading in the direction of a prophesied end. Let us not wait until Christ's return to sober up and come to know Him. We are called to leave aside the distractions of this world, and humbly work out our salvation, building characters that bring honour and glory to God. In doing so, our life's message to others is that time is not ours, and now is the best time to live for the Lord.

As we reflect on the scenes of the sinking Titanic, let us diligently glean lessons that we can apply to this life. The song for tonight is a hymn that has always been associated with the story of the Titanic. It is close to the heart of many. In fact, did you know that the founder of CNN is quoted as saying that their channel will continue streaming and not sign off until it has covered the end of the world, and then and only then will it play this same hymn as it signs off forever? Why is this hymn so special? Listen, be encouraged, be blessed. 🎧🎶🙏🏽

Prayer:

Father in heaven, while we are in the land of the living, we give You thanks for everything. We take a moment to remember all those who have lost their lives in the ocean, and all those affected by the death of their loved ones. Forgive us for every moment we have taken for granted. We do not want to wait until death to acknowledge You as the most important in our lives. While we have breath in our lungs, let us praise, honour and bring honour to Your name by the life we live, the thoughts we think, the words we speak.  Help us to make every day count, as we look forward to Your return. Help us to not get so caught up in this life that we miss the signs of Your coming, that will bring salvation, judgement, justice and an end to sin and the works of the enemy. Save us not only at death, but in this life too. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Nearer my God to Thee [Wanjira Mathai]