Anstruther Lifeboat Station

 

At Anstruther in Fife, a new lifeboat station is being built with a new slipway to facilitate launching. Seven lifeboats have been stationed there since 1865, the latest being the Kingdom of Fife from 1991 to 2024. It was a Mersey class boat, but reaching the end of its operational life, it has been replaced by a Shannon class vessel, the beautiful, 13-47 Robert and Catherine Steen which arrived just over a year ago. It is superior in many ways, upgraded throughout and with a top speed of 25 knots. 

However, it is too big to fit inside the existing boathouse. So, at a cost of around £100,000, this new facility will be an all-round improvement for the benefit of the volunteer crew and for accommodating and launching the lifeboat to respond to emergency calls for help at sea.

“Saving lives at sea” has become a familiar slogan for the RNLI, and indeed that is its mission. Since its foundation in 1824 its crews have saved ​over 140,000 lives, some in the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Probably very few of us have had to call on them, but those who have, and have been rescued, are overwhelmingly grateful.

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Exodus

The Book of Exodus narrates one of the most thrilling stories in history. It follows the Book of Genesis, which left us anticipating the arrival of someone who would come to rescue the world. This figure is beautifully foreshadowed in the character of Joseph and other prominent heroes from that book.

However, before this rescue can unfold, God must first save His people, Israel, from a serious predicament. At the end of Joseph's life, the Israelites are growing and multiplying rapidly in a foreign land, posing a potential problem on the horizon—a nation developing within a nation.

Soon, an Egyptian king arises who is unfamiliar with Joseph's legacy. He chooses to enslave the Israelites, believing himself to be greater than God. Throughout history, there have always been individuals who think they are above God, but they eventually face His might and are humbled. We will see a similar occurrence later in the story of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible.

Exodus depicts one of the greatest showdowns in world history: the most powerful man on earth against the God of heaven. This confrontation escalates with plagues of blood, boils, hail, thunderstorms, locusts, and darkness, culminating in the death of the firstborns. The battle continues until God parts the Red Sea, creating a path to freedom, and then closes it upon the Egyptian army, destroying them entirely.

Titan Rescue

Photos courtesy of Unsplash

On the morning of Sunday, 18th June 2023, Titan, a submersible containing five men, slipped slowly down into the cold North Atlantic waters. Their plan was to descend to the ocean floor, survey the wreckage of the ocean liner, the Titanic, and then return slowly to the surface. However, less than two hours into the dive, the submersible stopped communicating with the support vessel on the surface. The Titan did not reappear, and the US Coast Guard was informed. An unprecedented international rescue operation was launched, and all available resources were utilised in order to effect the rescue of the five men lost in the depths of the sea, before their emergency oxygen ran out.

Tragically, it was not to be. On the Thursday afternoon it was announced that debris had been located near the Titanic’s bow. The Titan had suffered a catastrophic failure and had been crushed by the unimaginable pressure. The five men had likely been killed in an instant. All of the effort expended in pursuit of a rescue proved to be utterly in vain; it would have made no difference if every resource and skill on Planet Earth had been applied: the passengers were already beyond rescuing, even before anyone knew they were missing.These tragic events serve as a parallel of our own condition. The Bible says that in our natural state we are at an insurmountable distance from God, “dead in trespasses and sins” Ephesians 2.1, in great danger of perishing eternally, and absolutely helpless to save ourselves. As soon as the crew of the Titan lost contact with the support vessel it was recognised that they would be unable to rescue themselves. Sadly, it was later discovered that no help on earth was sufficient to rescue them. Many people recognise that their sin is serious, deserving judgment, and that they need to be ‘rescued’ if they are ever to be in Heaven. But they think that through a great application of effort or resources, such as good works, prayers, or giving to charity, they will be able to rescue themselves. However, the Bible says that salvation is “not of works” Ephesians 2.9, and even the good things that we try to do are but “filthy rags” Isaiah 64.6, compared to God’s perfect standard.