LightGrams
December 15, 2022
Volume 26, Number 38
“When my ship comes in” is a phrase many of us have heard or even used. It’s basically a vision of wealth at some future date, “when my ship comes in”. One website explains that people could once buy shares of ships’ cargoes; for their investment, they would be paid once the ship docked and unloaded, and a great profit could sometimes be realized. But the ship would have to come in.
One ship that didn’t come in was the S.S. Central America. It was filled with travelers coming from San Francisco bound for New York in the days of the Gold Rush. In 1857 the ship sank off the coast of North Carolina. In 1988 the shipwreck was found, and great treasures have been sold at auction in the years since. Recently a pair of work pants promoted as the forerunner of Levi Strauss’s famous blue jeans were sold for $114,000. Also found aboard the sunken vessel was an 1849 Colt pocket pistol (sold for $30,000), a $20 gold coin minted in San Francisco in 1856 (sold for $43,200), and tens of millions of dollars of gold. This truly was a ship filled with treasure!
Not included in the valued objects on board were the 425 people who died (only 153 survived). Of those who perished, how much of their wealth would they have given to be rescued? We think we know the answer, for after their passing their “wealth” was of no value to them.
Luke was on board a ship that was caught in a monstrous storm. In Acts 27:18,19 he described how desperate their situation was: “And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.” How did they “lighten” the ship? By casting all the cargo into the sea. The cargo was why the ship was launched – it’s what made the owner of the ship a wealthy man. But when lives are in danger, possessions no longer mean as much. “Throw them overboard!” was their only hope for survival.
Jesus stated the principle clearly: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). A dying man no longer cares about his goods. He can’t take those goods with him.
Most of us don’t travel by ships, so why worry about these things? Paul tells about another way in which we might be drowned by clinging to material goods: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9). How much better to “trust in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17)!
Yes, the S.S. Central America was loaded with treasures when it went down in the Atlantic Ocean more than 150 years ago. But the real treasure was in those lives on board, both those who survived and those who didn’t. If only we could grasp this principle before our ship goes down! “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). A heart of wisdom knows what is valuable in this life. We don’t have to wait for some ship to come in.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2022, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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