When the great ship Titanic sank in 1912, most of her lifeboats departed the ship only partially filled. While there were not enough lifeboats for everyone, many people lost their lives because they refused to abandon their sinking ship.
If they had left the perceived safety of their own four walls before the water rose too high, they could have survived.
When the trials of life come our way, sometimes that’s all we can do, jump into the nearest lifeboat and paddle hard to get as far away as possible. We can see this lesson in Job’s own words.
We know the story. The devil received permission to take away everything Job possessed, save his very life. Then Job’s so-called friends came to shoulder part of his grief, to be stalwart stanchions of support in his time of need.
Instead, they became no more than truncheons driving Job closer to desire for death. They became part of his sinking ship, for they were bringing him down with their depressing words.
Job 17:2 shows us Job’s contempt for the words of his “friends.”
“Are there not mockers with me? And do they do anything except provoke me to despair?”
Job needed to abandon ship, to cast off the naysayers that could not see God when God was all Job had left.
What is our sinking ship? Is it a family that berates us for our commitment to the Lord? Is it a lifestyle that steals our time from God? Is it health issues that keep us from trusting the Father above?
God has already handed out our lifejackets. He has announced the lifeboats are ready. All we have to do is step aboard.
Our salvation is in Christ Jesus. Anything that keeps us from him is part of a sinking ship, and if we do not jump, we will eventually drown.
God rescues us from the world that besets us. We simply need to take him at his word.
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Code: FGO.K.29.13c.vp
Originally Published: 02-02-14 in Salvation