To The Muster Deck! - 2/2/06

I believe God gave me an analogy today for our lives. He's so cool!

My journal is covered with padded red nylon, sewn into squares on the front and back. It resembles a life vest. This is where I usually journal my devotions, and as I picked it up I thought to myself, "God is my life vest." But as soon as I had that thought, another thought came into my mind, "... but we're on the devil's cruise ship."

WHOAH! That is so true. If you've never been on a cruise, then it might be harder to understand that it is the epitome of American gluttony and indulgence. I'm not saying that cruises are all bad -- but they're set up much like living in this world. You can have pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want it, and as much of it as you want. There is always entertainment and food to be found amidst endless distractions as you sail toward the next destination.

But what if you were on such a cruise ship, and you knew the captain was the evil one himself -- steering everybody toward a lethal collision that would sink the ship and everybody on it? Or, maybe it has already hit something, and the crippled vessel is taking on water while everybody continues with their endless distractions. What if you were the only one who knew? Would you walk around with your life vest on, even if other people made fun of you? Would you try to hand them out to other people in an effort to save them knowing there are more than enough to go around? What of your family? Do you drag them from the decadence and plea with them to wear theirs even if it makes you look like a fool?

But then, it's more complicated than that because the captain is literally a diabolical maniac hellbent on killing everyone. Anybody who speaks the truth is targeted -- an attempt is made first to lure them with the pleasures and distractions of the cruise -- to neutralize their effectiveness, then an attempt to remove their life vest. If all else fails, they may be thrown overboard. Separated from everyone else, yet saved by the one thing they clung to from the beginning. Would you let that stop you?

So what are you going to do? Put on your life vest, or seek out something entertaining enough to distract you from having to think about the truth? Because I believe it really is "sink or swim time."