Wouldn’t it be tragic if a disaster was declared and the only way to be safe was to get on a ship at a specific time to take you to safety? What if, because of your unbelief, you missed the ship? Maybe you thought it would be too difficult or painful . Would you be willing to do whatever it took to be there even as the ship pulled away?
There was no catastrophe on why we needed to be on the ship. We had planned a cruise to Alaska long before we knew my husband would have a total knee replacement. He dropped me off on the dock with our luggage as he went to park our car. We had plenty of time, so I was not concerned. Gary was going to flag down a cab to bring him back to the port. Time flew by, and Gary had not returned. He did not have his phone, so I could not call him. Was he mugged? Did he have a wreck? What happened to my husband? About that time, I heard over the loudspeaker that we needed to board the ship. It was pulling out to sea in 20 minutes. Gary had been gone at least an hour.
I told my situation to the lady who announced that the ship would be leaving. Gary was nowhere in sight. She told me that I needed to board soon. I responded with fear, “ I can’t leave my husband behind.” She said we will be leaving in ten minutes. They told everyone they had to board. I looked up, my husband was far away but I could see him limping as he came down a steep street to the port. I ran to the porter yelling, “ there is my husband. He is coming.” I ran over and showed Gary’s passport to the lady as she smiled and checked him in. They started taking up the ramp as he was walking up the plank. He was able to jump on with help from the crew. Everyone was clapping and celebrating that he had made it.
It reminds me of our spiritual walk with God. We will have pain, suffering, and trials but never give up. God is our help in times of weakness. He will give us the strength to overcome anything that comes our way. “Because of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”
2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 NLT
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