Themes "Mocker's Consequences, Certainty of Judgement, Foresight

WARNED BUT UNWILLING

The old seaman pulled a crumpled paper from the desk drawer. Waving it at his visitor he exclaimed "If only they had heeded my warning!" The reporter listened intently as Mr. Reuter went on to tell of a tragic day decades earlier - the day he had sent the message written on that paper. The year was 1912. The first voyage of the largest ocean liner in the world had made headline news. Days into its journey now, all seemed quite normal.

The night sky was cloudless, the stars shone bright and the sea was calm. The ships massive propellers churned up the cold waters as it pushed on through the waves. The passengers on board went about their entertainments and duties.

The first message came over the wireless from a distant ship. It said, "Caution: thick ice fields". The message was relayed to Captain Smith on the bridge. Later came a second message:"Icebergs and large quantities of field ice". Captain Smith was given this report too. Reading it, he passed it to the ship's owner, who put it in his pocket. Now over the wireless came Mr. Reuter's message from his ship the Amerika. "Warning: have passed two large icebergs located 41 'N, 50 'W on April 14". The message was again relayed to the commander on duty. The final transmission came in late that evening; "Much heavy pack ice and a great number of icebergs". No body ever saw this one - the wireless operator put it under a paper weight and
forgot about it.

Despite these several messages the great ship Titanic, under orders of Captain Smith , continued on course at near full speed. The unheeded warnings proved to be disastrous; for just two hours after the last message came in, a lookout man in the forward mast sighted the danger. "ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD!"he shouted.

At the bridge, the helmsman frantically swung the ships wheel. The engine room was called: "Stop:full speed reverse!" ordered the officer in charge. The propellers groaned and the giant rudder swung hard to one side. The ship's bow turned ever so slowly to the left. But then came the jolt, and the awful shuddering felt through the ship. Captain Smith raced from his room to the bridge. "Mr Murdoch, what was that?" he shouted as he rushed through the door. "An iceberg Sir...", was the solemn reply.

The ship began to fill with water flooding in through a huge gash in it's right side. Three hours later,with one final heave, the mighty Titanic slipped to the ocean bottom two miles below. Of it's 2200 passengers, more than 1500 souls went into eternity that night from the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic.

Like an overconfident Captain Smith, people will sometimes ignore even the best of advice. Unfortunately some choices have severe consequences. Upon the advice of God, the prophet Samuel warned the people of Israel that their request for a king was a mistake. God should be their only King. But not heeding the advice of the all knowing God, the years proved Saul, and many future kings, to be exactly the tragedy God had said.

You may never choose a king,or pilot a ship, but where you will spend eternity is a most serious choice you must decide. Heed the Bible's warnings ; take the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour today!