Welcome to Monday, August 2nd!

Today’s episode of The Cross Talk Daily Devotional is titled:

Missing The Boat!

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Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995}

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  Missing The Boat

When the Titanic sailed on April 10th, 1912, several important people could not make the voyage as they had expected. Individuals such as Milton Hershey of milk chocolate fame and J.P. Morgan of U.S. Steel. Many others had thought of booking a fare but were glad they did not.

In this case, missing the boat was a good thing. However, we often use the phrase: They missed the boat – to indicate when someone misses a great opportunity.

We all have done things equivalent to missing the boat.

• We might have failed to take advantage of a job opportunity.
• Or, we missed a financial investment prospect that could have been worth a good deal of money.

I am old enough to remember traveling without the aid of Google Maps. Now, I don’t believe I could get along without it.

Without such navigational aids, people often made honest mistakes when traveling. However, no matter how sincere they were, they did not reach their desired destination if they headed off in the wrong direction.

Missing a turn while driving is one thing. However, missing an opportunity to have a relationship with God Himself is something altogether different.

Such a blunder could genuinely be described as missing the boat.

What if someone does miss heaven? The simple answer is that they go to hell. However, God tells us how He provided the way we can get our ticket to heaven in:

John 3:16 NAS95

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

No one intentionally misses a turn and keeps on driving. When I miss a turn, I get angry with myself for not paying more attention. I want to be on the right road so that I arrive at my desired destination.

Why is it that men and woman so often put on blinders and seek to exclude God from their lives? By doing so, they tacitly admit that God exists and can demand certain behavior from them.

Romans 1:20 NAS95

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

When men and women observe nature, they not only see the majesty of the creation, but the supreme intelligence and force behind it, that is, God. They can also see that God cares for and provides for what He has created and as such, He deserves our worship and obedience.

If you are a believer, you have your ticket to heaven but what about those in your circle of influence? Are some of them still going to miss the boat? As a believer, you possess the navigational aid that they need.

Take a moment to pray for them and to ask God for opportunities to share your faith.

Let’s Pray,

Gracious Heavenly Father,

We ask that You would give us the boldness to both live out and share our faith with the lost around us.

Help us fully realize that they are missing the boat.

Help us to realize that if You were to return today their destination will be hell.

Strengthen our resolve to be evangelistic Christians.

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen!