Not the Lifeboat but the Ship
There was a ship that was roaring through the ocean day after day. The ship has many people onboard and everyone was having a great and fun time onboard. Many days has passed since the ship set sail on the ocean the sun has been shinning everyday with clear and excellent weather. Each night when the sun set the moon's light shined bright across the calm waters while the ship plowed forth while each person slept peacefully in their beds on the ship. Each night the ship was sailing and it kept its passengers safe and protected from the deep and cold waters below. It kept all danger out and the people above the waters.
On the last night before the ship got to the destination across the sea the alarms went off on the ship. Everyone was awoken out of their slumbers and started to panic scared abotu what was happening. The sea on the outside of the ship was rough and causing the ship to sway heavily. There was a storm that was causing the sea to become very choppy and dangerous. People were starting to fear for their lives and started to run to the lifeboats. Everyone on the ship was panicing and running trying to get on a lifeboat. There was chaos everywhere. People fighting trying to get onto a lifeboat trying to not get left behind. After half of the lifeboats had been released people started to worry if there was going to be enough lifeboats for them all to get into one. Then soon after an announcement was played on the ship saying that there has been a false alarm and that no danger was present and the ship was in no danger.
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The story above can be seen a lot in the world today with God and Christians. The ship in the story is God and the lifeboats being how people treat God. God is always there through the good and bad times just like the ship. The ship kept the people safe on the sunny day but also during the bad storms. (Deuteronomy 31:8) God is always there for us and he knows how to take care of us. He promised he will not leave nor forsake us. We trusted in him to save us so we must also trust in him to keep us safe. However, many in the world today won't think of God nor give him the praise during the good times. Just like the people on the ship never thought about how the ship kept them safe and protected on the sunny days when they were having a good time and nothing bad was happening. However, when the alarms started to go off people were panicing and starting to look for help and run to the lifeboats. The lifeboats is how many treat God when bad times come or bad things happen they run to God wanting things to instantly get better or that the bad things happening to stop right then. The people on the boat wanted to get on the lifeboats so that they could relax and rest instantly in the safety that they thought the lifeboat could bring. God isn't a lifeboat God is not a crutch. God isn't a way to escape the bad things. God is the Lord and he wants to Love us and to take care of us.
We often don't realize what all God does for us to take care of us. The ship in the story kept the people safe from sinking into the ocean. It kept them out of the stormy waters. Safe from the animals in the ocean. Safe from the deep waters that would cause them to drowned. God does so much for us that we don't even realize. God keeps out heart pumping, lungs breathing, a new day, a nights rest, and so much more. We can't even count them all. God is not a lifeboat but a ship that keeps us from drounding in the ocean of life. God keeps us moving across the waters on the path that is in his will.
God should be treated like the Lord that he is and not a lifeboat or a spare tire for when the emergencies come. During the good times we must praise and worship him in spirit and in truth. Praising the Son for what He did on the cross. The Lord isn't a get out of Hell free card either. Jesus paid a price for you. God didn't give a get out of Hell free card when God saves someone. God paid for you to get saved. Jesus paid a debt that you were going to pay and that was the cost of your sins which you would had to pay in Hell for eternity. But God sent his Son Jesus to pay it. Salvation isn't free and isn't a crutch but a price that was paid by God through Jesus for you. God gave his best for you and all God wants is you. God doesn't want to be treated like a lifeboat.
When the hard times come and there seems to be no hope stop looking at God as a lifeboat but look at him as Lord and King and the Great God that He is. He is over all and has all the power ever. If your saved He gave you the best gift ever that He paid for. We have to right to complain to God because He paid the debt of your sins. We must thank God for everything because God is always good we just got to stop looking in the flesh and for the hopes in this world. Start looking at the hope that is beyond this world and the things of God.