The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

A couple of weeks ago on the way back from beautiful Bayfield, Wisconsin, we stopped in at the visitor center near Ashland, near Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior. One piece of Lake Superior history we learned more about was the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The Edmund Fitzgerald was the ship hauling iron ore that was lost in 1975 during a big November storm on Lake Superior. She was the grandest ship in the ore shipping fleet, but she went down. Gordon Lightfoot's song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" immortalized the ship for all of us. All 29 members of the crew died that stormy November day. Twenty years later the ship was found at the bottom of Lake Superior, broken in half, most likely from the terrible impact of it hitting bottom some 600 feet down. The bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald was recovered then, and a commemorative one with the names of the 29 sailors, was put in its place at the bottom of Lake Superior. A memorial service was held at that time, as it is now each year, and the actual bell from the ship was rung in memory of those 29 sailors, one ring for each of the men lost. The bell ringing for each of those men, was to symbolize their "voices still speaking." It was very moving to think about as family members or friends came to that bell to ring it in honor of their sailor. Let me ask you a question, however, about that memorial service or others like them. What difference does it make that the bell was rung and that names were mentioned? Those men will never know. They are gone. They were not in the audience that day, so what does it matter? And if we have all come simply out of the primordial ooze and will one day go back to that primordial ooze, isn't the fate of these men simply the fate that awaits us all in one form or another? Of course it is offensive to think that such a memorial service doesn't matter or that it has no meaning. It has great meaning and the memory of these men does matter. But why? Why does it matter? It matters because there is a God in heaven. It matters because of God's view of life, and that is that life and lives matter! They mean something in the world! We are not just specks of animated dust, mindlessly responding to our environment for a short time, but with no real hope for anything beyond this life. We have been created in the image of God. God has plans for us to spend eternity with him if we will turn from our sin and follow him through Christ. We matter to Him. Life matters! Without that reality, memorials to lost souls are a sad and painful joke. But intuitively, whether we intellectually believe in God or not, we know that such memorials are right and good. Deep down in our own being, we know and believe there is a God and that life goes on after this life is over. And even if these men cannot see the memorial that their family and friends held in their honor, God can see! He pays attention to what we do. He honors those who honor him, and he honors those who love their fellow man. After you shake out all the religiosity from whatever brand of Christianity you subscribe to, the Bible says that the two greatest commandments are: "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself." My hope and prayer is that if you have not already, you will give your life to the Lord through Christ. Jesus died on your behalf and mine, paying to God the penalty owed for your sin and mine. The "bell" of his story is still ringing throughout history, calling us all to remember the meaning of his death. Around the world that message has been proclaimed. We mark the calendar by his life. We call this year 2008 because it is 2008 "in the year of our Lord." It is no mistake that the whole world marks its calendar by Him. The bell is ringing, his voice is still speaking. Each December 25th, the world stops to consider his birth, and even those who don't believe, hear the bell ringing telling his story. You know the story. You know the ship wreck he faced for you. What will you do? There is an audience watching. It is God. Will you ring the bell of your own voice and speak to acknowledge your need for him? If you will and would like to be sure that one day you'll be in heaven, sins forgiven, sincerely pray a prayer something like this in your own words. God promised to grant you eternal life if you do. One word of caution: You have to mean it. This isn't a magic potion. Dear Lord, I confess to you today that I am a sinner, a sinner with no remedy of my own for my sin. I have offended you by the way I have lived and I'm sorry. Today I turn away from my sin and ask that you would forgive me through what Jesus Christ did on my behalf. I believe that Christ died for my sins and that it is only through his death and resurrection that I can be forgiven and saved from my sin. Being good won't get me forgiven, going to church won't get me forgiven, nor will any number of other religious acts all put together. What you have said will get me forgiven is putting my faith in Christ as my Savior and turning away from my sin. I do both today and ask that Jesus be the Lord of my life, leading me each day in the future. I don't know what that will look like, but I trust you and surrender my life to you today, to do with as you will. Please come into my life and grant me the eternal life you have promised, filling me with your Spirit so that I can live a life that it pleasing to you. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer and would like some help getting started in your Christian life, shoot me off an email. I'll recommend some reading for you and some other steps you can take to begin life well in following Christ.