The Difference a Day Makes

I’d often seen this boat moored in the solitude of the inlet as I captured the rising sun. Earlier this week I’d capture this boat as it rested, resplendent in the glow of the golden sun.

But today it looked different.
With the tide out it looked like this boat was taking on water and the owner was nowhere in sight. I’d seen this tiny boat many times, I’d met the owner who would row into shore to capture the sunrise as he cooked himself breakfast on the communal BBQs.

Not longer after my arrival he returned, rolling up his trouser legs before venturing onboard his stricken vessel to salvage what he could before the incoming tide made the flooding of his much loved houseboat complete.

I was saddened by this boat’s sudden demise.
From the outside this boat appeared whole, but morning revealed the truth about a leak that inevitably declared this boat’s fate.

My thoughts turned from the sinking boat to me, to the way I live my life.
Outside appearances don’t always tell the story of what’s really going on inside. We can appear to have it all together and do our best to fool others. We can even believe we’re ok, when in fact we’re not. Like this tiny houseboat, what’s on the inside of us will determine our fate.

Just like this boat was floating one day, then sunk the next, though no-one wants to think about it, we have no way of knowing when our time will come to take our last breath. What then?

Will we be confident and ready to step into what comes next or is this thought too hard to bare?
Right now it’s not too late to make a change if that’s what we need to do. Today’s news told of a beautiful young bride who lost her life while honeymooning on Hamilton Island so unexpectedly brings home the reality that we don’t know what’s around the next bend for us. I hope I never have to experience the kind of grief their loved ones are experiencing right now.

We never know when our day of reconing will come, but Jesus says ‘Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest.’

God says: Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him and He will answer

We will be required to give an account of ourselves to the one who gave us life and offered us the gift of life everlasting.

Not all who think they’ll be ok when they die will be

How about your heart? Is it right with God?

Yet, there is one ray of hope: His compassion never ends.
It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.
Great is his faithfulness; His loving-kindness begins afresh each day.
My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him.

We are living in a favoured time right now, with the opportunity to turn our lives around.

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
7 He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Please don’t squander one bit of this marvellous life God has given us. God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.

The time’s up for this tiny houseboat, but it’s not too late for you. Now is the perfect time to listen, the day to be helped.

Don’t put it off and keep a question mark over your eternal destination.

2022 Elaine Costin – Capturing Sunrise / Blog