Safe but not Secure
Growing Daily
Safe but not Secure
J. Bruce Ismay was one of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen of his day. As chairman of the White Star Line, he stood at the peak of success and privilege. But history remembers him for something else: stepping into a lifeboat from the Titanic while so many others were left behind.
Ismay escaped the icy Atlantic that fateful night, 114 years ago today, but the choice that spared his life haunted him for the rest of it.
In the years that followed, he endured relentless public scorn. He withdrew in shame and torment. His former wealth and status only magnified his fall. He had survived, but he had not escaped.
His story brings to mind the sobering words of Mark 8:36: “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”
But it’s also a reminder that safety and refuge are not the same. A lifeboat may have kept him alive, but it couldn’t quiet his conscience.
Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
What the soul longs for isn’t found in escape. It’s found in the One who meets us in our deepest need. He doesn’t wait for us to have it all together. He invites us near: guilt, regret, shame, and all.
When the waters rise, where do you turn? A lifeboat may keep you afloat, but only God can calm what lies beneath the surface.
- Ron Reid