Stranded Car Barge

by | May 24, 2003 | Addiction, Deliverance, Sin

The amazing thing about rocks is that you can either climb up them or you can stumble over them! Of course, stumbling over them is not usually done by choice, and sometimes this feat is made much easier by natural elements such as fog or darkness. Unfortunately, one of the car barges that cross from Letete to Deer Island, New Brunswick, got caught up in the fog and stumbled over some of the rocks at the dock (And yes, even boats can stumble!). Some said it was carelessness on the part of the captain, but then, I can vouch for the fact that you can’t put much stock in hearsay! In any case, the “why” didn’t matter. What mattered was that this would influence OUR adventures on the following day!

The itinerary for the day looked exciting-exciting enough to make us all bound out of bed at the sound of the alarm at six a.m. It didn’t take us long to find ourselves in the car and on the road to Letete, where we would wait for our car barge to carry us to Deer Island. The traffic was light that morning, but from time to time we had to drive behind a car that seemed to be fueled with “snail” fuel. Nevertheless, we arrived at our destination just in time, with only a few cars waiting in front of us. We could see our barge up ahead; but strangely, it wasn’t loading cars! In fact, it seemed to be completely deserted!

The boys and I walked forward to investigate, and soon some of the friendly local people told us about the barge accident in the night. “But don’t worry,” they said. “There are two barges, and the second one is running! We won’t have to wait more than 30 minutes!”

That was fine with us. The brief 30 minute wait still allowed us to meet the connecting car barge to Campobello Island, and we still managed to arrive, at low tide, for our informal “date” with the most scenic lighthouse of the whole province, East Quoddy Lighthouse (see the East Quoddy Lighthouse for more details!).

On our way back, we took the opportunity to explore quaint Deer Island, but not wanting to miss our connection with the car barge for our return trip to the mainland, we made our way back to Lord’s Cove with thirty-five minutes to spare.

Apparently we weren’t the only ones who had this idea. Cars were stretched out for nearly a mile from the ferry landing! And with only one barge running, it took two and a half hours of patient waiting to finally find ourselves at the head of the line.

Okay. So maybe we didn’t wait ALL that patiently! After all, sitting for two and a half hours in a hot van with two wiggly boys who had been up since 6 a.m. CAN become trying on the nerves! We walked back and forth from the van to the dock; we visited the only gift shop and restaurant in the area (who, by the way, were the only ones rejoicing about the out-of-commission barge! They were doing a booming business!); we walked along the Fundy beach (this didn’t last long, however! The tide was rising!); and we visited the local attraction: the portable potty (A fortune could have been made if admissions had been charged!). But finally we found ourselves headed back over the Bay of Fundy to Letete.

What started to as a careless accident caused huge consequences. People who depended on this car barge for transportation were left stranded. Who would have thought that not paying attention could affect so many people?

Sin works the same way. We may think that we are free to do whatever we want to do, and that our actions will only affect ourselves. We only realize once it’s too late that they have an impact on everyone, from our loved ones to total strangers. Even those sins that are done in complete darkness eventually catch up with us and turn into nightmares. Our actions most definitely affect others!

Why? Because sin can be defined as having our own way no matter what, as breaking our relationship with our Maker as well as others (see Matthew 22: 37-40). Those who are enslaved to sin (sin quickly becomes a vicious habit impossible to break!) stumble over the Light that came down from heaven to rescue them. They stumble over the Rock of salvation, and this affects others as well! “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (Rom 9:33 NIV); “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:4-5 NIV); and “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 NIV)

However this stumbling can be transformed into deliverance! If we choose to stand firm upon the Rock instead of stumbling over it, we will experience deliverance from our deadly habits. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then…” (Gal 5:1 NIV); “You have been set free from sin…” (Rom 6:18 NIV); and “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NIV)

Our actions do affect others. We can continue to stumble over our sinful habits, rejecting the deliverance offered to us, or we can start to stand on the Rock, welcoming His deliverance and enjoying freedoms that we have never enjoyed before. Our decision will determine how we will influence those around us.

Watch out, danger ahead! How will you deal with it?

Rob Chaffart

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