If it wasn't for the lighthouse...

where would this ship be?

That is the signature lyric from a Ronnie Hinson song made popular by Greater Vision. I have always loved that song. But it became a little more real to me as my wife and I recently celebrated our 25th anniversary by taking a trip to door County in Wisconsin.

Door County is that little peninsula of land that sticks up into lake Michigan. On the west of the peninsula is Green Bay. On the east of the peninsula is the rest of Lake Michigan. Door County is dotted with lighthouses up and down both coasts and at the tip of the peninsula. They are spectacular in their beauty and an ever present reminder and analogy of Jesus Christ. Here are those lyrics.

There's a lighthouse on the hillside
That overlooks the sea
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
That I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead me o'er
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
My ship would be no more

It seems that everybody about us says
Tear that old lighthouse down
The big ships just don't pass this way anymore
So there's no use in standing around
Then my mind goes back to that one dark, stormy night
When just in time, I saw the light
Yes, it was the light form that old lighthouse
That stands up there on the hill

And I thank God for the lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
Jesus is the Lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I might clearly see
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
Tell me where would this ship be?

I thank God for the lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
Jesus is the Lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I might clearly see
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
Tell me where would this ship be?

The very first lighthouse that we visited was the one on Cana Island. It was very obvious why a lighthouse was needed as we strolled beyond the grounds of the lighthouse and onto the area that led to the water's edge. The entire area was a giant rock shoal that was like a reef that surely had torn up many a ship's hulls down through the years. A careless captain or a captain who was unaware of the dangers present along that shore could use the light shining from that lighthouse to alert them of the dangers lurking in the shallow water.

And like those ship captains, I owe my life to that "lighthouse". Although I was raised in a Christian home, I came to realize that sooner or later I was going to have to navigate the stormy waters of life alone and without mom and dad to steer my ship. Fortunately I saw the lighthouse soon and allowed it to guide me safely home. But if it wasn't for that lighthouse, where would I be?

Where are you today? Are you floundering on the rocks? Are sailing perilously close to a reef and counting on your own expertise to navigate? Jesus stands on the shore and shines the light of His salvation to guide you safely into the harbor. Don't go it alone. It is just not worth it.