safe
protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost.
secure
Feeling safe, stable, and free from fear or anxiety.
fixed or fastened to not give way, become loose, or be lost.
protected against attack or other criminal activity. (Oxford)
To say the world seems increasingly uncertain is quite an understatement. Even with great imagination and concrete insight, it's hard to project the ramifications of what's happening today in almost every domain. Whether global politics, nature, economics, entertainment, government, or human behavior (EVERYWHERE!), it all seems a very teeter-tottery, which can trigger terrible anxiety. Uncertainty is even more troubling than negative certainty. How can we live amid so many alarming, extreme, and unpredictable events?
Uncertainty is even more troubling than negative certainty.
Jesus and the apostles repeatedly remind and reassure us that trouble comes standard with life, particularly for Christians, and definitely as His return nears.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the incredible joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:12-13
Most modern Americans have experienced fewer assorted troubles than others deal with regularly. Many have been entirely insulated from much hardship or helplessness. I suspect genetics factor in, too. Our more ancient global neighbors enjoy the undiluted legacy of natural resilience developed by facing centuries of looming or actual threats that often remain a tangible part of daily life. There's way more to say another time.
Americans are accustomed to ample comfort, confident control, or the illusion of it. So when all that seems to be in unpredictable jeopardy, it's unsettling at best.
The Good News is that Jesus repeatedly assures us that we can enjoy peace and security that isn't attached to unpredictable people and circumstances.
But if Jesus indeed promises surpassing, overcoming peace, why aren't more of us enjoying more of it while the world twirls? Why are we in such a mess anyway? Is it really THEIR fault? Where do we begin to assign blame? What's our part or power?
You know how I like metaphors and parables!
Surviving Stormy Seas
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf." Hebrews 6:19-20 (NIV)
My newest YouTube fascination is Waterline Stories, hosted by a brilliant citizen of the world who deconstructs maritime accidents with engineering accuracy. He covers them all in extraordinary detail from sport and leisure sailboats, drilling platforms, ginormous container ships, and historic wrecks. The charming, slightly nerdy diving instructor and yacht master uses excellent graphics, actual footage, historical documents, and verbatim transcripts to gravely explain what went wrong, clearly and competently.
Many tragedies are often a conspiracy of tiny errors committed by multiple people and snowball into disaster, particularly, but not always, in adverse conditions. I am often shocked how quickly things fall apart, challenging even the most experienced captain and crew.
Some of these captains have 40 years of experience and have faced a lot of conditions, which can cause complacency, itself a disaster when things get rough.
These days, technology plays a significant role in navigation and operations, so when it fails, trouble is bound to follow. If someone doesn't have or can't read charts or stars, they can end up anywhere.
When transcripts or recordings are available, it’s interesting to hear how even the most capable and commanding captain calmly problem-solves, sometimes overconfident, until the tipping point, when they finally cry "Mayday!" desperate. Sometimes they never get a chance to radio for help because it all goes down so fast—sorry for the tacky pun.
It’s interesting to learn that even the most massive shipping vessel has a relatively small crew—sometimes just a few sailors. Still, they each have a job and a checklist of essential tasks to ensure the safety and efficiency of the trip.
This is also true on leisure yachts. Some essential things must be done, and somebody has to do them. With larger personal vessels captained by just one brave soul, sometimes it's too much to handle.
These checks are undoubtedly born of long experience and expertise, anticipating all conditions, especially the unexpected, when strict routines and muscle memory are most important.
That way, when the storm comes up or the ship slips out of the channel, the engine fails, somebody miscalculated, the stress fracture gives way, or the chain comes loose and sends a shipload of cars slashing about the cargo bay, the crew won’t panic, the ship won’t flounder and sink, the passengers won’t die.
In the harbor or close to land, there are obvious advantages. In one instance, the catastrophe happened just as the container ship was leaving port, so they had access to immediate rescue. The captain had navigated outside the appropriate channel, which was part of the problem. Even with help close at hand, it was a scary mess.
However, in that case and most others, everybody bore some responsibility.
The shipping channel in a commercial harbor is dredged, maintained, carefully mapped, and monitored for maximum safety.
Sometimes, the vessel is outside radio range or failing communications, and E-pirbs (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons) leave the crew to go alone.
Occasionally somebody is intoxicated or asleep at the wheel when disaster strikes in the dark of night. Gosh, how I would hate that!
Living in Florida, we hear of drunken boating accidents a lot.
In some instances, corrupt governing bodies or greedy, negligent ship owners are to blame. Lax maintenance, exceeding boat capacities, or inadequate life jackets and safety gear exacerbate the disaster. In these cases, the poor and vulnerable usually pay the highest price. However, they, too, can contribute to the mess by ignoring danger and acting dangerously while panicked, which is always a bad idea.
When the worst happens, and the mighty sea and wind win, the sea swallows up everything and everyone, indifferent to their families, costly cargo, or plans.
While it's not maritime law, the captain is traditionally the last to leave a sinking ship, ensuring all passengers and crew are safe first...or going down with the boat. It's often not the case anymore, and captains fend for themselves.
Sometimes, it's a perfect storm (great movie) of circumstances beyond everyone's control, safety measures are useless, and the ship's fate is sealed.
Eventually, someone will be held accountable...or blamed. Many times, but not always, heads will roll.
More Lessons from Life
God is constantly communicating with us; as you know, I love to mine real-life messages.
I have already confessed my brief, but intense affair with true crime YouTube videos (I’m over it). I justify my penchant by saying God uses absolutely anything to instruct us. Those prurient accounts also illustrate how a few compromises can devolve into lousy decisions and unmanageable feelings and circumstances that can completely derail an otherwise normal person with disastrous, life-altering or ending results.
SIGNIFICANT SIDEBAR: Often underestimated, my beloved Columbo always seemed bungling and forgetful, but was brilliant. Maybe our often underestimated God knows something we don't.
So often, these previously ordinary people wake up from their illicit romance, financial fiasco, blind rage, or other crime to find themselves facing 20 to life. Occasionally the criminal moment is fueled by drugs or alcohol, but many times these people are stone, cold sober. Crazy, delusional, and sadly, altogether human and increasingly common.
"Temptation comes from our desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death." James 1:14-15 (NLT)
It can happen to anyone. Some such souls may even get the death penalty, but spiritually, we can all be rescued:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)
Little reminder that we Christians are sinners with all the same issues everybody else has, but the solutions are different. Or should be anyway.
We are all subject to derailment or floundering. We need help.
Jesus is Still the Answer
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his unfailing love andwonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:29-31 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Psalm 46:1-3 (NLT)
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” Mark 4:39-41 (NLT)
You guys know where I’m headed with all this. I hope it is more interesting and instructive than my recent rants.
This is our LORD, Creator of the Universe:
E electronic position indicating radio beacon - He always knows where we are, sees and understand our hearts, motives, wants, and needs.
Life vest - He is the ultimate life vest, because if we're lost and floundering, He keep us afloat.
Buoy - Jesus highlights the hazards that can shipwreck us.
Lighthouse - He illuminates our surroundings and ourselves so we can see clearly.
Life-raft - If we need to bail, He will carry us to safety.
Life preserver - If we get in trouble, He is our lifeline.
Survival suit - He preserves our eternal bodies.
Anchor - His Word, Book and Flesh, can keep us still and steady, no matter the weather.
Emergency supplies - He sustains us in trials.
Water - He is pure, Living Water to satisfy our deepest thirst.
Above all, He’s an almighty Captain, who never abandons ship. This CAPTAIN created the ship, passenger, and crew. He is an expert at every aspect of operations, knows all about the weather, every flaw and failing, created the planets and cosmic forces that influence the environment in which the ship sails, etc., etc. etc.
He is committed to us.
Are we committed to Him?
There is absolutely no storm he can’t still. No defect or human failure he can’t fix.
How he wishes we would just let Him!
God is not limited by any variable...except our free will.
Our Best Thinking Got Us Into This
That's why it’s helpful to believe in an omniscient, unchanging God who’s much smarter than we are, who offers clear guidelines that maximize our safety, who can help when we make a mess of things. This is a loving Father we can trust when we don't feel like it, when the rules seem random or outdated, when we're not thinking straight, or we think we're smarter, when modern morality or our buddy says, "go for it," when it's been smooth sailing so far, but the wind picks up.
Often, we just want what we want without adverse consequences or considering the impact on others or later. We think we know better what's best, or we know we're out of line, but think God doesn't see and doesn't care. We shouldn't be surprised when everything goes to hell in a handbasket. Punishment aside, it's merely cause and effect. We can certainly point fingers, but it needs to start with the fingers pointing at us, most especially for the very thing we're condemning.
God sees, cares, and has ALL POWER to intervene on our behalf. He is a loving Father who wants to help when we're overwhelmed by circumstances we can't control or fix, even if it's a mess of our own making. Of course, we have a part. We need to come clean, realign, and submit to His authority. Who wants to submit? Even when the authority is good, like a capable captain or Almighty Father? Sailors, like soldiers, know to submit to the chain of command to be safe and sound. Why not us?
What will it take before we run to our cosmic Daddy for help?
Jesus suggested we "be like little children" and simply trust "Father knows best."
This is especially reassuring when circumstances shift suddenly, chaos ensues, the future seems sketchy at best, or we suddenly find ourselves knee deep in big trouble.
Our pride and fear can prevent us from running home to Daddy, even though we know He can help. Maybe we don't believe that anything could prevent daddy from rescuing us...except us!
Salvation is Simple, Not Easy
If we insist on ignoring maritime law, take needless risks, fail to act, or act to fail, skimp on safety, don't check conditions, inappropriately rely on ourselves or someone else, can't or don't navigate, are underequipped, or overloaded, don' take protective measures, abandon ship prematurely, or wait until it's too late to ask for help, etc., we are likely to run into trouble.
Check, check, check.
How much more trouble if we insist on ignoring God's law? How much more if we insist on going it alone?
We are saved by grace, but it never nullifies God's law, the "shipping channel" designed for our collective benefit, one person at a time.
Sure we can blame our troubles on others. Especially now, some are inclined to blame the apparent narcissists running the global show with downright alarming abuses of power. But to what degree are we idolaters who've enabled it or ourselves narcissists who are running our own show, equally ego-driven in our little worlds? To what degree have we self-determined what's right or wrong? Though nothing can separate us from God's love, sin still separates us from God and His promises to us, including peace.
Jesus says that peace itself can actually be removed when and where His Holy Spirit is not welcome. In Matthew 10, Jesus says those in Christ can both give and remove their peace. In Revelation 6:4, Jesus empowers a horseman to remove peace from the earth. As far-fetched, scary, and dramatic as this imagery appears to be, it's less so every day.
Yes, we are ultimately saved by GRACE. Indeed, we are. Thank God for that! Does God's grace run out? No, but we can run out on God's grace, trample on it. God says some of us will be saved only by the skin of our teeth.
We can choose to miss out on Christ's promised peace by turning away from Him to other impotent or destructive gods.
Let's Get Real
Oh, how I wish I could say that Christ's overcoming and surpassing peace meant that we didn’t actually have to deal with any shipwrecks. You and I both know that’s not true. We're also not guaranteed to avoid some trepidation on the way. But there’s amazing grace for those who believe. There's grace to be peaceful in any storm, to persevere, to endure, to overcome, and to rest confidently in Christ and the promise of eternity no matter what happens.
There's the peaceable fruit of righteousness we can enjoy by willingly submitting to a loving Father's progressive discipline which can look a lot like intensifying, chaotic, global consequences completely beyond our control.
Like God shouting, loudly, lovingly concerned, "Beloved child, do you really want to do it your way, without me? Okay, if you insist."
He will let us.
Good News
When our substitute saviors fail us and we've had enough, the Cosmic Captain, Good Father, and Saving Son welcomes us back.
Regardless of how, when, or if we wise up, we can still rejoice in this: Whatever shipwrecks we encounter here, in Christ, we can look forward to a blissful eternity and a restored earth where there won't be stormy seas, rocky outcrops, or faulty humans, including us.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1–4
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