The great ship Titanic
Oh they built the ship Titanic, to sail the ocean blue;
And they thought they had a ship that the water would n’er leak through
But the Lord’s almighty hand, knew that ship would never stand.
It was sad when that great ship went down.
One of the greatest tragedies in modern history is the story of the sinking of the ship
Titanic, which sailed from England in April 1912 with 2,200 people aboard.
This luxury liner was billed as one of the safest ships in the world, but the people
who boarded her on that fateful voyage little knew the horror that awaited them.
The passengers, many of whom were prominent and wealthy, danced, drank and
sang as the ship made its way west. On the night of 14 April there was a warning that
icebergs were possibly in their path, but the captain decided not to alter the course.
When the huge iceberg did come into sight, it was too late for the vessel to veer.
It scraped the side of the iceberg, causing a rip which permitted water to pour into the
lower portion of the ship.
M any women and children evacuated by boats, but they left 1,500 on board to await
their awful fate. According to one film representation, before the ship sank into the icy
waters, the band played ‘Nearer my God to thee’. The last thing that went beneath the
ocean was the British Union Jack, which waved above the stern.
There are many lessons for us in this story. In a sense, we are all on ‘Titanic’, setting
sail on the high seas of life. We cannot fully trust the vessels in which we dwell — our
bodies are frail and subject to disease and death.
S ome natural, or perhaps unnatural, peril awaits in the darkness of the future, and
against this iceberg we will crash. Then we will go to our eternal home.
There is, however, a way of safety. Jesus Christ, the captain of the old ship of Zion
is taking on boarders. He is rescuing sinking souls, taking them into his care and then
safely transporting them into heaven’s harbour.
On Calvary’s cross, Christ paid the sin debt, so that all who believe in him will not
suffer the pains of eternal separation from God.
Are you sinking? If so, receive his promise of salvation through faith.
John Thornbury
