Swanland setting off from
Llanddulas
On Sunday (27/11) I put on the radio to hear that the cargo ship Swanland had sunk off the Llyn Peninsula. It was carrying 3,000 tonnes of limestone from Llanddulas to Cowes in the Isle of Wight.
RAF Valley 22 Squadron (Prince William was involved}and Holyhead Coastguard spearheaded the rescue operation, which involved lifeboat crews from Pwllheli, Holyhead and Trearddur Bay.
Two crew were rescued but sadly six others were lost at sea.
I must have seen the Swanland at the jetty many times. Rarely do I give thought to the courage of those who sail around these shores. They are all at the mercy of the power of wind and wave and even the best technology cannot save them from every peril.
The tragic loss of life reminds us that our lives can be cut short at any time by all sorts of perils. As the Bible puts it
“all mortals are grass, they last no longer than a wild flower of the field….
but …..the grass may wither and the flower fade but the word of our God will endure for ever. God sits enthroned…..He makes earthly rulers nothing…his whirlwind carries them off as chaff.” Isaiah 40
This is the Lord of history at work bringing about his own Divine purposes.
It is not that He is moving the pieces around on the board without any care or concern. Far from it!
He actually offers to us in Christ, while we live in this world, His own eternal Presence. He gives all who trust trust Him the power to rise up when we grow weary; to soar on eagles’ wings; to run and not feel faint and to march on with child-like trust in Him; our one aim, to do His will.
It is as we follow his directions for our lives and learn to do His will that the glory of God is revealed in our world and people are caused to say of Christ
“this is our God the Servant King; he calls us now to follow him; to bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King”
