Capsized
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. – Luke 18:1.
There are a surprising number of boats and ships that capsize, and many times it is not because of crew incompetence. For the Taki Tooo, it was the second unexpected wave, which rolled over the boat; and resulted in nine confirmed deaths, and two still missing. Eight people did survive the capsizing of their craft. Six of the survivors, were beneath the deck when the wave hit. For about five minutes, they stood on the ceiling, and lifejackets were passed out while the cabin filled with water. They were trapped!
One of the survivors, a Hamlett, spoke this morning on a news program describing what they were doing during those five minutes. He shared they were putting on their life jackets, and trying to find a way out, but they were trapped. He also shared they were praying. It was then, that the boat rolled several more times “like a blender,” as one survivor put it. It was a terrible thing to go through, but it resulted in the windows breaking, providing them with a way out of the doomed vessel.
When facing impossible situations for the Christian, the most important thing to remember is that God is not surprised and has not panicked because of it. We should follow the example of our Lord, and instead of panicking, losing heart, giving up, or fainting we should do what? PRAY!! With the survivors of the Taki Tooo, we see they did the most important things. They did what they could to survive. They put on the lifejackets; they searched for a way out and found none. And they prayed. As a result, when the windows of the boat broke, they knew the only way out was through those windows. They didn’t waste time; they did what had to be done in order to survive.
The same principles apply in every difficult situation, whether it is urgent, or something that has developed, and lasts over many years. Matthew 7:7-8 is also applicable here, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Search for the solution, the way out, through, or around whatever the problem is; and that will require seeking, knocking and asking. Then, when the hand of God moves, you will be familiar enough with all the options available to recognize what needs to be done. As Ron Dunn used to say, “Don’t just stand there! Pray something!”
(In impossible situations, do all you can while you are praying, and then you will be ready when God intervenes.)