They thought they were going to die after their boat sank in the Caribbean.
This remarkable story about Dan Suski and his sister, Kate, sounds like something out of a movie. But it’s true.
They were vacationing in St. Lucia when they chartered a boat for a day of fishing. About four hours into the trip, Dan hooked a 200-pound marlin.
Then everything went wrong.
The boat’s electrical system began crackling and popping. Water rushed into the cabin and flooded the engine room. The captain ordered everyone to put on life jackets and abandon ship. Within five minutes, the boat had sunk.
The captain told them to wait for rescue. But after about an hour with no help in sight, Dan and Kate decided they had to swim toward shore. They were at least eight miles from land.
For the next 12 to 14 hours, they battled huge waves, darkness, exhaustion, fear, and the possibility of sharks. Finally, sometime after midnight, they reached a small stretch of beach and collapsed. They spent the rest of the night trying to stay warm. At daybreak, they hiked inland, where they encountered a farm worker who summoned help. They were eventually taken to a hospital for treatment.
The remarkable part of the story is Kate’s perspective after the ordeal. Being a night owl, she had never liked getting up early. But afterward she said, “Since this ordeal, I’ve been waking up at dawn every morning. I’ve never looked forward to the sunrise so much in my life.”
Think about that.
The day they had planned didn’t turn out the way they expected. It wasn’t comfortable, convenient, or easy. It was frightening and exhausting.
But it was still a day they had been given—and ultimately, a day in which they experienced God’s preservation.
It reminds me of the words of Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
I love this great Bible verse. I’ve used it in my phone messages for years. It’s simple. Yet profound. It can change your attitude. Your actions. Your life.
Consider three ways we can apply this great verse.
(1) Appreciate today as a gift from God.
In God we “live and move and have our being.” He is the giver of life. By His goodness, we live to enjoy another day.
Bill Keane once quipped, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow’s a mystery. Today is a gift of God. That’s why we call it the present.”
When we spend the day griping, fussing, and complaining, we are disrespecting God’s gift to us. When we approach the day with fear, dread, and worry, we are misusing the day God has blessed us with.
(2) Dedicate today to the glory of God.
Admittedly, some days are better than others. We have days of joy and sorrow. Sickness and health. Poverty and riches. Good and bad.
But today is all that we have. So, we must find a way to use it to God’s glory.
Regardless of today’s circumstances, what can I learn? About myself? About God? About life? Is there a lesson God may be teaching me that makes today unique?
Regardless of today’s challenges, how can I grow? Spiritually? Mentally? Emotionally? Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden used to tell his players, “When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur…” Don’t miss today’s opportunity to grow.
Regardless of today’s obstacles, who can I help? Maybe it’s simply a smile. A kind word. A pat on the back. A text message. An email. Or it may be my commitment to excellence and courage to be the best I can be that inspires someone else.
(3) Celebrate today in the goodness of God.
The Psalmist said, “Rejoice and be glad.”
Throughout Scripture, God’s people are repeatedly exhorted to rejoice. Those who belong to God and enjoy His grace and goodness have a reason for rejoicing.
Psalm 118 is a psalm of praise, giving thanks for God’s steadfast love and mercy. It also contains a remarkable Messianic reference quoted in the New Testament.
There are many reasons today to “rejoice in the Lord.” Physical protection. Material blessings. Spiritual blessings. Good friends. Loving family. Caring brethren. These and so many more give us reasons for daily rejoicing.
And even in times of sorrow and heaviness of heart, there can be a silver lining that reminds us how blessed we are to belong to the Lord.
Today is a new day.
We don’t know what it will bring. There may be unexpected challenges, disappointments, or even sorrow. But it is still a day the Lord has made.
It wasn’t necessarily the day we wanted.
But it is the day we have.
So appreciate it. Dedicate it. Celebrate it.
And “rejoice and be glad in it.”
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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