Volume 47   Number 11                                                                       July 2005

This is a tale of two maidens. One was beautiful, opulently adorned, and the pride and joy of her nation. The other, well…was simple, unlovable (but for a few), and smelled like a barn. The first was given the majestic name “Titanic”, as she was the largest ship to have ever been constructed—the greatest minds in Western shipbuilding and industry having spared no effort, expense, or idea from implementation in her creation. Everyone wanted a place on her decks. The second, while having no name of note, could’ve easily been coined “Olga”. She was the first ship on historical record. Built by a rank amateur (at best), she had but a veritable menagerie for a passenger list. Were we to know no
more about the two ladies, which would you say would’ve been “shipshape”, and the other a “shipwreck”?

The thing is… we already know the ends of both. Despite all the resources brought to bear in order to christen the Titanic on her maiden voyage, she was plagued by the glaring inadequacies of men. Mistakes were made at every level: improper formulation of the steel alloy, too few lifeboats, an arrogant radio operator, water thermometers that couldn’t reach the water, a missing pair of binoculars, white flares instead of red. Each one, ultimately, contributed to cracks in the integrity
of the ship’s structure. Each one sealed her passengers’ fate.

Noah’s ark. Pitch-stained wood. No motor, sail, or oars. Dry-docked, literally, in the middle of nowhere for decades while its four-man construction crew scrounged up the raw materials and cobbled its, seemingly, purposeless structure. That crazy Noah. What was he thinking? There is no doubt in my mind that the success of Noah’s ark wasn’t attributable to his slick planning or ingenuity—in fact, it didn’t have anything to do with his thinking at all. The secret to the seaworthiness
of his vessel is the same, by which, we may ensure that our spiritual barks might sail into eternity. So careful was Noah to implement this secret, that the same passage says he
“did it” twice. “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22 NKJV) In this, Noah sealed his passengers’ fate.

As Noah had to be found in the ark, we must be found in Jesus—an Ark made of blood-stained wood, nails, and an iron will to match that of The Father’s. To be found in Jesus is to ignore the ideas of “great” theological minds. To be found in Jesus is to let The Father do the thinking. To be found in
Jesus is to focus on the important thing. No penitence. No sacrifice. Only obedience. Of this, Jesus was the perfect example: “For this reason The Father loves Me, because I lay down My life…this commandment I received from My Father.” (John 10:17,18) Thus Jesus did; according to all that God had commanded Him, so He did. Even to die on a cross.

Jesus’ example is not merely a suggestion for those who would come after Him—it is a mandate. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” He says (John 14:15). So then, in the tradition of Noah, let us demonstrate ourselves to be master shipbuilders of the Cross…making doubly-sure of our obedience to The Father in the titanic love of the Son.