As in the days of Noah, just before the great flood, "The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence," (Genesis 6:11), so today, men are trusting in weapons and leaving God out.
"Perilous times" are coming upon us! Frantic human efforts are being mustered to patch up the sinking ship. We read of them in Luke 21, verses 25 and 26, "And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity...men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth."
Also, "The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed...they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer. 8:9).
"The end of all things is at hand." (1 Peter 4:7). "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:8). Jesus has warned you to "take heed to yourselves, lest...that day come upon you unawares." (Luke 21:34). "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until He come." (Ezekiel 21:27).
Blind optimism is the philosophy of fools. Let us suppose a vessel is foundering at sea, exceedingly rotten and leaky, and filling fast. From the shore a lifeboat is launched, and pulls alongside the doomed vessel. The captain of the lifeboat calls to every person on board to leave the old ship immediately.
But the people on board refuse. One says, "Our vessel is not so bad; she only needs a little repair and paint." Another says, "Away with both you and your lifeboat! We have a carpenter of our own, and we can repair this ship ourselves."
Most go on with their cards and drinking, while some, working with emergency tools, are determined to keep the old ship afloat. Just a few see their danger and take advantage of the only way to escape.
The vessel, left to itself, fills and sinks. Now, tell me, if every despiser on board goes down, who is to blame? The lifeboat was sent to them, but they refused to come aboard!
Christ Jesus is the lifeboat. The Father sent His Son to deliver us from this evil, perishing world. God so loved this poor, ruined, sinking world that He gave His beloved Son, that whosoever believes in Him might not perish.
"Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psalm 2:12). But, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3).
In 1912, the finest and safest vessel that had ever been built, the "unsinkable Titanic," struck an iceberg and sank. "The staggering fact," an editor commented, "is not that the ship went down, but that she still went on after fifteen hours of radio warnings, her engines at full speed, her band playing, her passengers dancing and, apparently, nobody caring that there was ice ahead."
Do not ignore the danger ahead. Accept the salvation Christ offers today.
My Individual Savior
My salvation depends upon my taking Christ as my individual Savior, just as if He had died for me alone. If you can cry to God as the publican did in Luke 18:13, then you can rejoice with the Apostle Paul who said, "the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20).