I haven’t written about the tragic Costa Concordia incident until now. First, my heart goes out to those on the ship and their families. No words can express the tragic loss of life and the sorrow these families must feel. How surreal! I mean, I have been on 18 cruises, and though some of them were not up to our standards, we never, ever felt we were in danger. We have been through some very rough seas, 15 – 18 foot waves and winds blowing across the deck so fiercely the captain of the ship wouldn’t let anyone go outside because of the danger. But each and every time we have had the muster safety drill before we ever left the dock, and we trusted our captain to act responsibly. (Though the drill is required, it seems that there is always someone trying to get out of going to their muster station. Matter of fact, just yesterday I read an article from a colleague of mine, about how Holland America removed a passenger before the ship left port because he tried to skip the muster drill. I mean, they put him off the ship, and I really don’t think they gave the person a refund.)
This tragedy is sending shockwaves through the cruise industry, and I’m sure it will trickle down to other vacation and tour operators. Most of the cruise lines that I deal with on a daily basis have issued press releases stating they intend to review all their safety standards and immediately retrain the crews on the ships. What does this mean for Costa, who is owned by Carnival Corporation? I’m not sure. I have never sailed on Costa, but I’m sure it will take them a very long time to recover. They may have to undergo a major marketing overhaul. I can remember an airline called ValuJet that had a couple of incidents, including a major crash in the Florida Everglades. They became AirTran, revamped and restructured, and have now become one of the leading budget airlines in the nation. (I was actually sitting in Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport, waiting on that plane, the day it crashed. Yeah, the news gave me a bit of a shake.)
Something like this just brings some thoughts to the forefront. None of those people on Costa Concordia, never in their wildest dreams did they think their lives would take such a tragic turn. They were sitting at dinner, many of them, talking about their day on the mainland, taking pictures, smiling, hugging, sharing time with loved ones. But in an instant, their lives changed forever. The souls that were lost on that night, were they ready? Did they have things in their lives they needed to take care of? Did they need to make something right with another person? We never know what the next minute brings, so we ought to have things in order.
I really would like to plead to my readers: Live so that you never have to look back and say, “I should have done something differently.” Especially where spiritual matters are concerned. If you are not saved, if you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savor, why wait?
I’m not talking about, “I’m a member of such-and-such church,” “I’ve gone to church all my life,” “I’m a good person; I have never killed anyone or stolen anything.” These things, works, will not get you into heaven! Jesus said that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father except by him. (John 14:6) The Bible also tells us in Ephesians 2:9 that works will not earn us heaven; salvation is “not of works, lest any man should boast.”
I’m afraid that some of those who died on the Concordia left this world unprepared for eternity. Are you ready? It’s not complicated; it’s really not. Organized religion sometimes makes the plan of salvation sound that way, but Jesus made it so a child can understand. We just have to accept one simple thing: Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He was sent to this world, to all mankind, to save us from our sins. You see, people are sinners, and we fall short of God’s standard. But through Jesus Christ, all your sins are forgiven. Yes, all! But you say, “Rick, how can Jesus forgive me? Do you know some of the things I’ve done?” I don’t, but God does. In John 3:16, we are told that Jesus came to this world to expressly die for us, you and me! He was God’s beloved Son. God (yes, The God, not Allah, or Mohammed, or Buddha) “so loved the world.” Black, White, Asian, European, Latino, etc.—everyone who lives and has ever lived. God sent his Son that we may have eternal life though the redemption he offers.
How? Right now, right were you’re at. You don’t have to get on your knees; prayer is a position of the heart, not the body. Speak to God. There is not a script. Just acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God. That he died on the cross at Calvary. He and was buried, and on the third day, he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is now in heaven, and someday Jesus will return to take us to heaven with him. If in your heart of hearts you have prayed for God to forgive you and you have taken Jesus into your heart, you are saved. That’s all!
I pray for those who were on the Concordia, that God will help them heal through this tragedy. Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God has a plan. He is always in control. If you have any questions or would like to talk to me, please contact me. If you need to find a Bible-preaching, Gospel-teaching church in your area, I would love to help you with that. Feel free to email me: rick@agapecruisetravel.com.
God bless each and every one of you!
Rick
No comments:
Post a Comment