Man Overboard!

Did you see the story about the woman who fell off the cruise ship into the middle of the Gulf of Mexico? How horrible! What a tremendous feeling of loneliness and hopelessness she must have been feeling . . . watching the ship she had just been standing on, sailing away and leaving her behind in the darkness.

I think about that situation and wonder, "What would I have done in her place?" How long could I have treaded water? Did anyone see me fall and are they runing for help? Why aren't they turning around?

Our days are numbered on this planet. God tells us in his world . . .

"5 A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set. 6 So now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work. 7 “For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will grow again, and that its branches will not stop growing." - Job 14:5-7

That's an interesting passage. "There is hope for a tree" it says. Makes me wonder . . . If our days are numbered . . . is there hope . . . for us?

The answer to THAT question is, of course, yes, there IS hope. But only for those who place their faith in Jesus. For the rest of humanity it is much like the fate of that woman who fell overboard. Lost and alone.

If you were lost in the middle of the ocean and suddenly saw a light in the distance, what would you do? I'd start to swim. Why? Because I now had hope! Without hope and direction we are eternally lost.

There is tremendous hope in Christ. The promise of a future, a hope FOR that future, and a purpose or direction for our lives.

If you fell overboard with a friend and you saw a light in the darkness, wouldn't you encourage your friend to swim with you? Sure! Is there a friend in YOUR life who is "drowning" Is there someone you know who doesn't know Jesus? Shouldn't we help them? If they died tomorrow, what excuse would you give Jesus for not talking to them about Him?

I heard someone make a statement this week that I think rings true with our witnessing for Jesus. And I am just as much at fault in this as anyone.

"We always have time for the things we WANT to do."

Witnessing to someone can be difficult but it can also be life-saving. When the situation is desperate, we often will take action. But if there is now immediate need we tend to find other things to do with our time. Until one day . . . one day too late.

One Day To Late - Skillet