Titanic (Nearer My God to Thee)

I watched the 1953 version of "Titanic" the other day.  As I watched it I was struck by a few things.

They were ill-prepared because they wrongfully thought that the ship was unsinkable.  Over 1,000 lives were lost that night before ships were lawfully required to have enough lifeboats for all on board.  This has always baffled me.  The engineers must have known deep down that every boat is sinkable, no matter how large or well-crafted.  But their pride got in the way.

The designer was on board.  How he must have rued the day he did not include enough lifeboats in his design.

I thought about how millions of people around the world feel "unsinkable" in their pride.  They do not see their need for a "lifeboat," for God's salvation.  

I thought about how death is the great equalizer.  The very wealthy and the poor alike both met their doom that evening.  The rich man's wealth couldn't save him.  The poor had nothing to lose.

When the orchestra played, "Nearer My God to Thee," everyone joined in.  Everyone sang the hymn.  Everyone was familiar with the words.  

I thought that if the same happened today, would this generation be able to sing any anthem at all that held any spiritual and eternal meaning?  I thought about how bereft this generation is without knowing God.  I thought about how the devil has robbed the church of one of her richest treasures - the great hymns of old.  

I thought about how fragile and brief life is and just when we least expect it, we may be taken from this world. 

I thought about how our nation is "sinking" morally and this without care or concern for their "drowning" in sin.

Christ is coming.  He comes to save, to rescue us. Will you be aware of the signs of the "sinking" times or go on life as usual as if everything is alright?  Will you "go down" in the ship of sin?  Of will you be wise and get in the lifeboat that God has provided through Christ?

The lyrics to the hymn, for your enjoyment:

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

"People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all."  Luke 17:27