A simple light can avert many disasters.
Especially if you find yourself alone in utter dark!
Many boats have found this to be true. With no light to guide them, many a ship has run aground or been wrecked on hidden reefs.
The rugged Canadian west coast is renowned for its many hidden marine dangers. Once Canada was founded as a nation, lighthouses sprang up all along its coastal waters.
The first permanent lighthouse in the west was the Fisgard Lighthouse, at the narrow entrance to Esquimalt Harbour near Victoria. The lighthouse became operational on November 16, 1860, and although the human element was replaced in 1928 by automatic machinery, it still proudly stands, directing boat traffic to safety.
Before the Fisgard Lighthouse was built, entering the Esquimalt Harbour was a perilous undertaking. Collisions occurred even in broad daylight; but with the light in place, accidents are now rare.
In nearby waters however, disasters are still common. For example, in April 1943, the captain of the Russian freighter Uzbekistan misidentified a lighbuoy and steered its boat aground near Pachena Point. In November 1891, the upsetting glare of lights from the Victoria harbour on the ocean caused the S.S. Pedro to strike Brotchie Ledge. In May 1910, the Princess May got caught up in heavy fog and ran aground on a concealed reef. And the list could go on and on.
Why did these boats encounter disaster? Weren’t there lightbuoys to guide them?
There sure were, but nothing surpasses the power of a lighthouse, built on a foundation of solid rock!
In life, we also have a solid Rock to stand upon: Jesus Christ! “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matt 7:24-25 NIV); and “That rock is Christ.” (1 Cor 10:4)
An amazing part about light is that it helps us avoid places where we could really hurt ourselves: “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.” (Eph 5:13-14 NIV) Jesus is not only our Rock; He is also our lighthouse! “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)
We are urged to be just like Jesus, reflecting His glorious rays to the rest of this world: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” (Eph 5:8 NIV)
Notice that we are not encouraged to be like lightbuoys, which can prevent some accidents, but to be like Jesus, a Lighthouse that can guide people to real safety!
Is your light still shining? If not, come and stand with me on the solid rock, and He will make you new.
Wow! Isn’t He awesome!
Rob Chaffart