Rescue for the Perishing
In the midst of the
cold, grey skies of a St. Louis winter, perhaps we should turn to a bright and
uplifting piece of cheerful art. Or, perhaps not. Instead
we will look at a famous painting of dreary isolation, destructive calamity,
and pending death - with just a pinch of hope thrown in for good measure. Don’t
say I didn’t warn you.
Winslow Homer (1836-1910)
is one of the most famous American artists, and The Gulf Stream stands out as one of his
finest works. Painted in 1899, it represents the mature work of Homer and
captures
a harrowing scene from his beloved oceans.
A black man is adrift
at sea. It is probably the Atlantic Ocean given the title and the presence
of sugar cane in the hold of the ship. Homer
loved the Caribbean islands and traveled these same waters numerous times.
The ship has no
means of directing itself. The rudder is gone. Even if the man knew which
direction land lay, he is powerless to steer the vessel.
The man is
surrounded by natural enemies. White-capped waves, strong winds, and ominous
clouds on the horizon all indicate weather trouble. The damage to the ship is a
testimony that the enemy has already struck powerful blows. Had a hurricane hit
the vessel?
The enemy list goes
on. Sharks surround the boat, and teeth are ready for a morsel of the man. I don’t
imagine they talk like the sharks from Nemo: “I am a nice shark. Not a mindless eatin'
machine.”
Blood is already on
the water. Where did it come from? Did the man have crew mates who met their
death in the waters and in the jaws?
The sharks
represent a violent death, but there is another death that can overtake the
man. Thirst and hunger will bring excruciating pain within days. The nutrients
in the sugar cane will run dry, and the man will die a slow death. Which would
be worse - sharks or starvation?
And don’t forget
the psychological torment. Whoever may have been on the boat with him at the
beginning of the journey, they now abide in isolation. There is nobody with him
in his calamity. It is one man against the enemy. It is one man alone with his
thoughts.
The man however
seems resigned to his fate, doesn’t he? In the midst of continuous motion from
waves, winds, and sharks, the man lazily stretches out across the boat and
gazes across the sea. He seems motionless. Not that there is much he can do,
but Homer really goes out of his way to paint the man as a serene figure in the
midst of the trouble. Has he succumbed to hopelessness? Is he looking out over
the ocean for rescue, or just daydreaming about what life might have been had
he not taken this cursed journey?
They aren’t a
perfect fit, but the lyrics to a song by Coldplay
come to mind:
When you try your best
but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse.
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Could it be worse?
Yeah, sure it could. In addition to being on the menu for sharks and cut off
from civilization, the man may be like Jonah – running from God. Whether he dies slowly or quickly, he could
wake up in eternity forever estranged from God.
But
maybe not today. Look off in the background. Way off to the left side of
the horizon. Do you see the ship? Perhaps you can’t even make it out in this
black and white copy. Go take a look at the picture online and you will see it.
It is a ship - a
ship that could possibly rescue him. But will the rescue come? What do you
think?
Is there a ship of
rescue for the isolated and battered? Will the parched tongue find water? Will
the hunger be alleviated? Will the man in the powerless, directionless boat be
lifted out of his doomed vessel and put onto a solid ship with sails and
rudder?
By now, I hope you
see where I have taken our discussion of this piece. Man finds himself in an
apparently hopeless condition, and can do nothing to get himself out. The only
hope for him is in being found by a rescuing party that has both the provision
and the desire to come after him.
Will the man be
rescued? Yes he will. And so can you.
"I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and He answered
me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me
into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all
Your waves and Your billows passed over me. Then I said, 'I am driven away
from Your sight; Yet I shall again look upon Your
holy temple.' The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded
me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went
down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet You
brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. (Jonah 2:2-6)
W.
Scott Lamb is a pastor with Providence Baptist Church in South St. Louis County,
MO. He and his wife Pearl enjoy the challenges and pleasures of raising their
four sons. Feel free to contact Scott at www.truthinartblog.com.
