Have you ever been on a sightseeing cruise? Many towns in Europe and the U.S. offer cruises up and down waterways to see their most famous and noteworthy landmarks. The boats look like multi-level, steel mini-ships, usually with an open deck on top where people can get a full 360 degree view as they float along. It’s a cool way to learn about the history and layout of a city from a completely different perspective.

We’re all on a sightseeing cruise. It’s called life. The only difference is that our life boat leaves the safety of the harbor and heads out into open water. Sometimes the seas are calm and we’re amazed at the beauty of our surroundings and the awe-inspiring sunsets. Sometimes seas are rough and we’re tossed back and forth as our boat is battered by unrelenting waves. But we’re all in the same boat. No one has all sunsets. And no one has all storms.

Often there’s a question about who has the best seat on our life boat. People up front are dressed nicer, laugh louder, and sip their wine with poise. It doesn’t seem fair, but they are the “special” people. There are preachers, nuns and charity workers up front too. They probably deserve it.

Behind them are the ordinary people. The ones who try to live a good life and give to others when they can. They work hard to make an honest living. Being in the middle is fine. They can still see the sunsets. They may not feel like they’re as good as first class, but they’re happy they’re not back with the riff-raff.

The back of the boat is dicey. Don’t venture there alone. It’s full of people down on their luck and those who made bad choices. They’re stuck with embezzlers and murderers and homeless people who smell. The worst of them probably shouldn’t even be on the boat. But they are. And surprisingly everyone in the rear of the boat sees the same sunsets as the people up front.

Whether we’re proudly socializing in first class, quietly sitting in the middle, or regretfully hiding in the back, we’re all in the same boat. And that boat can’t float without Jesus Christ. If our boat sinks, everyone is going down together. It doesn’t matter if we’re up front or pushed up against the back rails. No one can save themselves. Not even the preachers or nuns.

But here’s the thing. We can’t view ourselves as less worthy of being saved just because of where we sit on the boat.

We all have sin in our life. We all make mistakes. And we all have a Savior who has come to rescue us. Jesus doesn’t look past us to save someone else first. He comes directly to us. He reaches out His hand and says, “Trust Me.” We are worthy. We are precious. We are His beloved. And He wants to save everyone. No matter how good or how bad our seat is.

We’re all in the same boat. And we know the boat is going down. We just don’t know how much time we have left. Don’t let doubt or shame or feelings of unworthiness prevent you from being saved.

Take hold of Jesus’ hand today. He can walk on water. He alone has the power to save.

“But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:30-31

May I pray?

Jesus, we often live as if we can walk on water and save ourselves. But when the storms of life start sinking our pleasure cruise, we realize how little we can actually do on our own. Lord, please forgive us for our pride, doubt, shame and fear. Please help us to let go of our feelings of unworthiness because of where we’ve been or where we now sit. Grant us the courage to take Your hand today. Amen.

Q4U: Do you ever feel like other people would be saved before you if the life boat went down?