Blessed be the LORD, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults. Psalm 28:6, 7 (New American Standard Bible)
Titanic Frustrations
Did you know the great steamship Titanic almost missed its disastrous maiden voyage? As the huge ship was leaving Southampton harbor on the morning of April 10, 1912 its wake caused the mooring cables on the steamship New York to snap with a report like a gunshot. The New York began moving toward Titanic. At that moment the quick work of harbor pilot, George Bowyer and Titanic’s Captain Smith were able to divert disaster allowing the ill-fated ship to continue its doomed voyage. If the New York had rammed the ship Titanic’s maiden voyage would have ended right then and there. The 2,200 passengers aboard the luxury liner would have had to leave the ship and make other plans to get to America. I’m sure there would have been a lot of grumbling from many of them as they disembarked the liner to find other ways to finish their journey. All would have been totally unaware of the disaster that would have awaited them just 108 hours later off the Atlantic Grand Banks.
I've considered all the times I’ve been frustrated in some plan and how quickly I grumbled over the inconvenience of it. But were those frustrations always the work of the devil as I have said and thought so many times in the past? Who knows but that car that rear ended me in 1968 as I was heading to the beach to fish wasn’t God’s way of protecting me from something more dangerous down the road? God’s goodness can work in the unpleasant things as well as the good. Why He does it that way is His business. He knows all things and how to work them to my benefit. Maybe He’ll do it by putting someone in front of my car going a few miles an hour slower, or let me stop at an extra traffic light (or two) or allow me to get that annoying phone call as I am heading out the door to my car to run an errand. Who knows how well things might go if I were running just a minute or so behind my schedule?
I admit it is difficult at times for me to choke down the irritation of having my schedule interrupted. I desire to know Jesus Christ more fully and when those titanic frustrations come at me I ask God to help me say with assurance “Hold it Ken. The Lord really is your strength and your shield. Let your heart trust in Him.” When events occur that interfere with my plans and I come face to face with a titanic frustration, I trust the Holy Spirit to remind me that an unmoored circumstance just may be a loose ship ramming my plans in order to keep me from an appointment with an iceberg.
Holy Spirit help me to listen more and protest less.
Ken
Devotions Today at www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com
Titanic Frustrations
Did you know the great steamship Titanic almost missed its disastrous maiden voyage? As the huge ship was leaving Southampton harbor on the morning of April 10, 1912 its wake caused the mooring cables on the steamship New York to snap with a report like a gunshot. The New York began moving toward Titanic. At that moment the quick work of harbor pilot, George Bowyer and Titanic’s Captain Smith were able to divert disaster allowing the ill-fated ship to continue its doomed voyage. If the New York had rammed the ship Titanic’s maiden voyage would have ended right then and there. The 2,200 passengers aboard the luxury liner would have had to leave the ship and make other plans to get to America. I’m sure there would have been a lot of grumbling from many of them as they disembarked the liner to find other ways to finish their journey. All would have been totally unaware of the disaster that would have awaited them just 108 hours later off the Atlantic Grand Banks.
I've considered all the times I’ve been frustrated in some plan and how quickly I grumbled over the inconvenience of it. But were those frustrations always the work of the devil as I have said and thought so many times in the past? Who knows but that car that rear ended me in 1968 as I was heading to the beach to fish wasn’t God’s way of protecting me from something more dangerous down the road? God’s goodness can work in the unpleasant things as well as the good. Why He does it that way is His business. He knows all things and how to work them to my benefit. Maybe He’ll do it by putting someone in front of my car going a few miles an hour slower, or let me stop at an extra traffic light (or two) or allow me to get that annoying phone call as I am heading out the door to my car to run an errand. Who knows how well things might go if I were running just a minute or so behind my schedule?
I admit it is difficult at times for me to choke down the irritation of having my schedule interrupted. I desire to know Jesus Christ more fully and when those titanic frustrations come at me I ask God to help me say with assurance “Hold it Ken. The Lord really is your strength and your shield. Let your heart trust in Him.” When events occur that interfere with my plans and I come face to face with a titanic frustration, I trust the Holy Spirit to remind me that an unmoored circumstance just may be a loose ship ramming my plans in order to keep me from an appointment with an iceberg.
Holy Spirit help me to listen more and protest less.
Ken
Devotions Today at www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com
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