Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
“There is no danger that Titanic will sink. The boat is unsinkable and nothing but inconvenience will be suffered by the passengers.”
Phillip Franklin, White Star Line vice-president, 1912
The first passengers on a luxury liner in a transatlantic voyage! I can imagine the excitement and anticipation of spending time enjoying the ride. The captain was in place, the crew were waiting for the passengers, and was checked to make sure everything was perfect for those who were able to purchase a ticket for its first maiden voyage.
Much has been written about the passengers on the Titanic and the frightful experience they suffered on the night of April 14, 1912. This unsinkable ship held a little over 3300 passengers and crew. That night, 70% of the faithful people aboard the Titanic were taken by the chilling sea after this unsinkable ship ran full speed into an iceberg seen too late. In fact, as people approached the deck of the ship, they experienced a shaken faith because there weren’t even enough lifeboats for all on the ship. All the faith in the world would not have created enough lifeboats for everyone.
Can you imagine the disappointment, dismay, and despair? Not even enough lifeboats? What were the owners of the White Star Line thinking?
Unsinkable faith is faith in God’s purpose
The older I get the more reflective I seem to become. Faith is a deep subject and I would like to take some time to unpack it over the next couple of days. Faith has more to do with the object of our faith than the one who has faith. It always has. The Titanic was “unsinkable.” People who boarded the Titanic had faith in the designs, plans, builders, crew, and captain to get them safely to their next port.
Our initial faith in Jesus begins the adventure. But Scripture is clear that a living and unsinkable faith is in God’s purpose for our lives. Proverbs 19:21 tells us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
God is not our Santa Claus or Genie in a lamp. He has a purpose for our lives, and until we embrace that purpose, we will always live a defeated life and the unsinkable will sink. Unsinkable faith begins with selflessness and humility so that we can grasp the purpose of God in our lives.
If unsinkable faith is seeing the unseen, what are you seeing today? Are you really tuned in to God’s purpose for you? We have to have faith that God’s purpose is so much better than our own selfish desires. Will you release yourself to seek His purpose?
Unsinkable faith is faith in God’s power
If God’s purpose prevails, then God’s power causes it to happen. If I purpose to cut the grass, then my power makes it happen and the grass gets cut. God is the same way. If His purpose prevails, then His power causes it to happen. I believe we often have a misplaced faith with a misunderstood philosophy and theology of faith.
We must have an unsinkable faith in God’s power to accomplish His purpose in our lives. That means we see the unseen. We may not always understand why, but we have to trust His purpose. I’m not saying go out and live your lives the way you want to and expect God to bless it. But I am saying as you live your lives each day, take some time to pray and be still before God and allow Him to speak to you through His word and the urging of the Holy Spirit as you desperately seek to understand His purpose for your life. It is much more than what you might think.