It was proclaimed to have been one of the grandest luxury ships built in its time. It's upper floors were for the rich and famous, a grand hotel with every known amenity available. From bow to stern, the massive White Star Steamer’s, the Titanic’s, proud lines stood out in sharp contrast to any other ships in the harbor. This floating city carried more than 2,300 passengers and represented all the wealth, power, and luxury of its age. Built at the height of the industrial age, the Titanic was a brilliant reflection of man's power, ingenuity, and arrogance.
The R.M.S. Titanic was considered the grandest of the grand. Many even claimed, "even God couldn't sink this ship," because of its structure and its 16 watertight compartments to assure flotation barring some unlikely accident. Thousands of people in a mass of excitement boarded the luxury liner for the trip to America's New York City. It was the maiden voyage of the sleek liner and thousands more waved cheerful and teary-eyed, good-byes from the dock below from Southampton, England. Of all her human cargo, nearly every social and economic class of people from many nations set sail April 10, 1912.
With the prideful assumption that the Titanic was unsinkable, the ship's captain, Edward Smith, sped headlong into danger ignoring repeated warnings of icebergs in the liner’s path. Even the Titanic's owners ignored all caution. Instead, they were bent on setting a new speed record on crossing the Atlantic.
That arrival would never occur. Only four days at sea, the ill-fated ship met her untimely demise close to midnight on that moonless night. Too late to slow the racing steam engines, the ship's crew spotted the mountain-sized iceberg dead ahead. Frantic orders were issued to steer the ship to the port, or left side, but avoiding the head-on collision proved fatal. Instead, the massive liner's starboard side of the bow's hull caught the hidden mountain under the Arctic waters, ripping a quarter-inch gash more than 300 feet long.
Though little impact was felt by anyone on board, the damage soon became evident: metal plates began to buckle as six of the watertight compartments began to fill with sea water. Only after drowsy passengers were awakened and told to don the bulky life vests and board the lifeboats did the severity of the problem begin to set-in with many of the travelers. And even as emergency rocket flares were launched, others continued to laugh, celebrate, and party in the remaining moments at sea--disbelieving the obvious. With only twenty lifeboats to this massive liner, some 1,500 people perished in the frigid waters that harsh spring morning.
The Titanic holds many parallels for our modern day lives. How often do we set sail in our self-made ships of success, assuming in our arrogance, even God wouldn't sink our plans? Often God isn't to blame, as much as our own conceited assumptions of His blessing, protection, and provision as we set sail in the waters of our pride and self-determination. How frequently do we ignore godly council, advice, and warning from others under the assumption that we are experienced captains and we know best? How often in our race to succeed do we plow headlong into waters of disaster? More importantly, what other lives do we take with us in our precarious rush? The dangers in life are oftentimes not so obvious. It's not the mountainous icebergs that loom in our path, but rather the hidden one’s underneath that have wrecked many lives. So, who is it that sets your course and pace in life, and who is really captaining your life’s ship? There's a lot to consider: just remember the Titanic.
Beloved:
As you seek to set your own course and direction in life will you listen to My Word? Will you stop and seek godly council and advice? I know My plans for you and they are good. Sometimes it’s hard for you to trust Me, but trust Me you must for I see the hidden danger and the selfish motives of others. Never rush headlong into life, a relationship, plans, or any business venture without seeking My council and direction for you. Submit your life to Me and trust that I will always lead you to safe waters. Let Me Captain your life and your soul. Let Me be your lifeboat of rescue.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Great analogy between the Titanic and our own lives.