Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:10-12
The USS Batfish was launched in 1943. For the final two years of World War II it was one of the most successful US submarines in the Pacific Ocean. The Batfish sunk three enemy submarines and a number of surface ships, and it received several commendations and awards. After the war ended, it was used for a time as a training vessel until its final retirement from service. In 1973 the Batfish was moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma where it became the centerpiece of a war memorial. Visitors could tour the submarine and see how the sailors on it lived during the war. During record rainfall in 2019, the Arkansas River flooded, and the water seriously damaged the Batfish. It may seem ironic for water to damage a ship designed to be submerged in water, but the submarine was no longer being maintained as it once had been for active duty, so it was vulnerable to something that once posed no threat at all.
There is a temptation that is especially dangerous for those who have been Christians and serving God faithfully for many years to let down their guard. The successes and victories of yesterday should not be forgotten, but they also should not be relied on for victory in the battles of today. As long as we live in this world, we will have an active enemy who is dedicated to our destruction. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We must remain alert. There is no room for coasting in the Christian life. The battles we face today and win do not mean that the war is over for good.
