Shipwrecked Lives

I was reading Acts 27 this morning where it details the account of Paul the Apostle, travelling on a ship from Caesarea to Italy. As it turns out, the ship runs into a hellish storm and they are shipwrecked on the island of Melita. Paul, who had originally advised the sailors to abandon the entire trip, encourages them through the storm and tells them that God has revealed that no lives will be lost on this journey.

When I reached the end of the chapter I asked in a half-spoken tone. "Lord, what shall I learn from this?" Immediately the verse "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," (Acts 16:31) popped into my mind. As I contemplated this verse, an old poem I had penned when I was fifteen years old played in my memory.

The Lighthouse

It stood alone on the dark dismal shore,
Waiting for its owner's return.
Suddenly it heard a ship crash on the rocks,
And it tried to make its silent light burn.

Its attempts were in vain so it finally gave up,
Watching dismally as more ships came in.
As they tossed on the waves and crashed on the shore,
A sound rose above the loud din.

Those lovely notes were the Master's own voice,
Assurance and love ringing clear.
His hands deftly lit that dark silent light,
And it shone with a message of cheer.

And so like that lighthouse, our lives are today,
And without the kind Master's touch.
We'll flounder in darkness, lost in our sin, 
Lacking that life-giving touch.

But if we'll call out and answer his call,
He'll reach down and honour our cry.
And our lives will shine with the love that He gives,
Till we reach that grand home on high.

-Corrine Horst 


Perhaps your life is shipwrecked today. You may have fallen into sin or be bound in darkness having never experienced freedom, joy, and light from Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World. If that is the case and you would like to find hope, feel free to send me a comment via this blog or connect with a Christian close to you. Jesus truly is the Way, The Truth, and the Light. He can dispel all shadows of darkness and lift you to life and light.