If you have ever experienced a beacon of light when being trapped in a cave or through dense fog, then recall the joy of the moment when you finally new that you had found the Way. As in any survival experience within a ship at sea or being trapped in a cave there is nothing that can alter your focus once you are fixed on that beacon of light in Jesus Christ that is there to help us return to the Way back home.
The interesting part of this message are the principles, responsibilities and the order in which we are to follow. Look at the movie Titanic for instance. The captain allowed someone to go against his better judgement due to his influence of money and power while the deck hands on the bow of the ship became too occupied in other discussion. This distraction caused them to not sound the warning sign in a timely manner and eventually caused the ship to sink at sea. The ship was sold as indestructible with alot of glamour for others to see. This glamour and size of the Titanic caused many to lose their focus and balance with God to the point of sacrificing survival items or lets say (commodities) in order to sell more space and to service the debt of construction.
Who knows what these watchmen were discussing on the Titanic or if they were really not warning the helm. The one in charge could have been too distracted himself and neglecting the warning from the watchmen on their post. The point of the message is this,” We are not to allow anything other than God to guide our decisions and actions in order to protect our homes. Never are we to allow the influence of money, power or popularity to distract us from our responsibilities within the temporary positions that we have received!” There is a necessary balance and focus in order to maintain the integrity of our homes that parallels a ship and crew at sea. Each crew member that receives a post is to be a watchmen to insure the proper guidance of the helm. For the watchmen are not there to give the orders but to give warning of what is to come when neglecting the Way and to note what they see ahead. Some on the ship are not watchmen but workers that play a vital roll. It is when the crew neglects their own position and allows their focus to debate other positions that we can begin to witness the ship going down at sea.
Where many watchmen get distracted is when they take their eyes off of the beacon of light and begin to debate with others about the way we are to travel. For there are specific positions and responsibilities within each position and the Way has already been mapped out. The objective is to recognize the importance of our positions within our homes, our jobs and the church body to insure that something does not slip up on us without proper warning or preparation.
There can not be two fathers within a home nor can there be two captains of a ship. For the father of any home should take consideration and the input of his family as any captain should do the same with his crew. Ultimately though each leader is responsible for their own decisions and lack of actions which can bring harm back upon the home. For a crew that is being led by two or more leaders that show lack of unity and respect for the positions which have been given or allowed by God only brings disunity and division within the body. It is when the crew runs the captain and the children lead the parents that we can find a lack of order, direction and productivity which causes us to become lost at sea.
There is a distinct order and chain of command that has been given by God that we are to follow with our Creator being first. The Lord plainly instructs us to honor thy father and thy mother as well as we are to obey our authorities. This order has been given to maintain the freedom which we have been given and to protect us as we obey God’s Word. Never are we to lead rebellion but we are to seek God in diligent prayer to set us free while teaching others to have faith and to believe. For God is in control and there are lessons that come for disobedience and the object is to receive the correction of God and to learn the lessons for our childrens future.
May God raise up men and women that are willing to stand in faith without wavering to this fallen world and may He have mercy on us for our national sin for our children’s life ahead…. Take a brief moment to watch this YouTube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5609Lrpy8VQ on the sinking of the Titanic and recognize the parallel of this message. How many times must history repeat itself before finally Wake Up to God’s Truth???
James A. Harrison
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