I’ll
say it loud and proud – ‘Kiefers love cruising!’
I
have personally been on three cruises in my half a century existence and I’ve
adored every one of them. My wife Michelle and I have sailed throughout the
western Caribbean and up to Alaska. The last one we took was as a family down
to the Mexican Riviera, made famous by Doc, Gopher and Captain Stubing.
Dollar-for-dollar, there is no better way, in my opinion, to have tons of
vacation options while enjoying a sense of adventure than on a cruise ship. The
entertainment and service are first class, and the sense of disconnection is
priceless. Did I mention the food?!
The
last cruise was on the Carnival Splendor, a massive 950-ft liner that takes fun
and luxury to a whole new level. After booking our tickets, my nerdy ‘current
events junkie’ mind sent me a memo – “Steve, that ship is the one that had an
engine fire a couple of years back and had to be towed back to port.” Wikipedia
confirmed the memo! But, I thought, ‘These things rarely happen, and I’m sure
the problem has not only been fixed on Splendor, but on all of the Carnival fleet’.
Gratefully, our excursion down the coastline was trouble-free. However, history
has a way of repeating itself, doesn’t it?
As
I peck this, tugboats in the Gulf of Mexico are towing into Mobile Bay the
disabled Carnival Triumph. What was supposed to be a 4-day ‘fun cruise’ has
turned into a week-long nightmare for the 4,000 on board! An engine fire
disabled the great ship’s major systems – including propulsion. Reports
indicate that people are sleeping on decks to keep cool, raw sewage is everywhere,
food is scarce, nerves are frayed, and conditions are declining rapidly. What
began with fantasies of mai tais and buffets has turned into lukewarm tomato
sandwiches and inoperable toilets! Naturally, the cruise line is doing all it
can to buffer the blow by reimbursing the passengers and getting them home as
safely and comfortably as possible.
Then
it hit me.
Something
designed for adventure – absolutely dead in the water – drifting.
Did
you know that the Splendor and the Triumph represent our lives?
The
New Testament tells that sin has separated us from God and that the consequence
of that sin is death. Though our lives were divinely designed for relational
adventure with the Lord, we used our gift of freewill to mutiny against Him.
The result? Our lives are as dead in the water as the ships I’ve referenced.
Powerless.
Hopeless.
Drifting.
Dead.
Then,
on the murky horizon, when all seemed lost, a light appeared – a heavenly light
of love, grace and mercy! Paul described it beautifully – ‘But because of his
great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.’ –
Ephesians 2:4-5.
The
Bible tells us emphatically that without God’s grace exclusively through His
Son Jesus Christ applied to our lives - we are all dead! - Not sick - not injured
- not broken - not weak – morgue-gurney dead! That every life (no matter how ‘good’)
that does not receive the divine
resuscitation of God through the completed redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the
Cross is dead, drifting and on their own.
Remember,
the gospel is not ‘good news’ – its great news! We once we’re declared ‘dead’
by the Great Physician; but now through Him, we are eternally alive in Him.
Now
that’s Splendor!
Now
that’s Triumph!
