Look to the Titanic
October 8, 2022 4:03 PM
Anno.Domini.144K
October 8, 2022
Recently, confused and overwhelmed by recent world events—who isn’t?—I asked the Holy Spirit to give me insight. I asked Him questions and shared my thoughts. What is really going on between Europe and the United States as they embroil themselves in the conflict in Ukraine against Russia? The situation is too complex and difficult for me to comprehend. And when I turn on the news and look at media, I see bias and propaganda. And what I don’t see—eliminated by computer algorithms and other means—is the result of censorship. What’s the truth, and will I ever know it?
God is ever mysterious, but He speaks the truths we need to know to us simply. Jesus spoke in parables so listeners of all intellects could comprehend the essential wisdom of his lessons.
So in His answer, the Holy Spirit gave me the simple words, “Look to the Titanic,” and he showed me a waking vision in my mind’s eye. First, I saw the “unsinkable” Titanic struck by an iceberg, its great mass hidden from view under the water. “The great mass of problems lies under the surface,” said the Holy Spirit. Then I saw the ship take on water and sink slowly at one end. “That end is Europe,” said the Holy Spirit. Then I saw all the people who could not get onto life boats run to the other end of the boat for temporary safety from the freezing waters. “The other end of the boat is the United States,” said the Holy Spirit. Then I saw as Europe went under that the United States was also sinking faster. “They are the same boat,” explained the Holy Spirit. Then as both Europe and the United States went down, the structure of the boat gave way and it split apart as it sank in two parts to the bottom of the sea. “As Europe and the United States go down, their unity breaks,” the Holy Spirit concluded.
As I was typing this, the Holy Spirit reminded me to look up the idiom “under water”.
According to the Free Dictionary, the idiom means
1. Being or holding an asset that is worth less than its purchase price or the debt owed on it.
2. Not making enough money to meet financial obligations.”
Then the Holy Spirit said, “just as the great mass of an iceberg lies beneath the surface of the water, the real debt of Europe and the United States is vastly larger than what appears.”
As always, take everything to the Lord in prayer. Remember that our eternal “life boat” is Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Though the waters will rage and boats will founder, Jesus calms the storm around us and pulls us up from the waters. When we, like Peter, take our eyes off of Jesus and focus too much on the swirling waters, in fear we can temporarily lose our faith and sink. But He is ever there with his outstretched hand, calling our name.
Scripture:
Jonah 2:1-10 NIV
1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Matthew 14:22-33 NIV
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Luke 8:22-25 NIV
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Photos courtesy Depositphotos
