Shipwreck

Huge waves pounded against the ship. Seasick, despairing sailors stumbled as the ship lurched from side to side. The storm was driving the ship towards a rocky island shore and fear reigned. At about midnight four anchors were hastily deployed as the waters of the Mediterranean became shallower. Next morning they decided to attempt sailing into a bay they had spotted. They cut off the anchors, instead of hauling them up, and headed for shore. The Apostle Paul, a prisoner on board (read Acts chapter 27) had earlier warned them not attempt this trip. Now he made the astounding promise that no lives would be lost but there would be a shipwreck. And that is what happened.
Had they stayed with the four anchors they could have saved the ship. We also have the opportunity to deploy four anchors of another kind. Today we’ll deal with the first of these anchors that can give our life stability, purpose and meaning.

Anchor1

The first anchor is the acknowledgement that God is the amazing Designer, Creator, Sustainer and Owner of all that exists. Recognize the He loves each one of us and wants what is best for us. The evidence that He loves and cares for us is prolifically embedded in all that He has created for us and all living things. His creative genius speaks to us from the minutest cell to the vast universe.
Nehemiah 9:6 “You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything and the multitudes of heaven worship You.”
Why do I make that claim? Human cells contain a vast array of biochemical machinery governed by an extremely complex DNA, all of it in a cell the size of this period. This DNA in a fertilized mother’s egg is like a software program designed to build a human baby in 9 months. Additionally, our planet has features just right for life to exist. It is just the right distance from a right-sized star, its axis tilted just right to generate seasons as it revolves around the sun at just the right speed in an orbit that is just close enough to circular to be effective. The rotation of our planet is just fast enough to produce days and nights of optimum length. The composition of our atmosphere matches the operation of our lungs. The composition of the soil matches the requirements for food production for all living things. Much more can be cited but the overwhelming conclusion is that Somebody made everything just right or else we couldn’t survive. God loves us and wants the best for us. John 10:10 “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”

So why isn’t life always the best? Next week we’ll answer that question.

 

 

 

Henry Wiebe