Ocean Safety: A Crash Course
The two times I have been on an international mission trip, the final day before departure has been devoted as "de-briefing"-- preparing us to transition from the third world back into our daily lives. This summer, we got to spend our final day in El Salvador at the beach.
The pool was nice, the air conditioning was refreshing, and there was plenty of fun things to do: build sandcastles, talk, journal, lay in the sun... But it was the ocean that seemed to have the strongest pull on us, and we kept finding ourselves out laughing and splashing in the surf.
There is something to be said for the slight tinge of fear you feel when being swallowed up and pulled under by a wave. Perhaps the most exciting moment is watching a large one build and come rushing towards you. But as much fun as the ocean is, it's dangerous as well. The waves are an obvious peril, but there is something more powerful and threatening that is so subtle, it is often overlooked: the current.
As I stood in the surf between waves and felt the powerful undertow grab at my ankles, I was struck by the life lesson the ocean teaches. In our faith, we have times of obvious hardship; the deaths of loved ones, financial crises, or health issues are a few that come to mind. Such situations are like the waves, we plant our feet in the ground and pray we can keep our heads above water. But it is not the "wave" moments that are most dangerous to our souls. It is the slow undercurrent that drags us backwards between the waves.
That undercurrent is the "daily grind," the mind-numbing sameness of our everyday life. In reality, the waves often drive us closer to God, forcing us bury ourselves in Him and His promises. But the current is often unnoticed, pulling us away when we think we are safe.
As a kid, my dad taught me a trick: keep watching the shore to make sure you aren't pulled to far away. This is not only good practical advice, it's good spiritual advice as well. In the ebb and flow of our everyday lives, in the crazy hectic-ness of soccer practices and family dinners and forgotten homework, we may forget about the tide. For this reason, we have to keep our eyes focused on the eternity promised to us. We must see beyond the physical world into the ever-present spiritual realm with the ongoing battle between good and evil. We must remind ourselves that though we are weak to resist the pull of the ocean, we serve the One who created it, and His strength knows no limits.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though it's waters roar and foam." -Psalm 46:1-3
The pool was nice, the air conditioning was refreshing, and there was plenty of fun things to do: build sandcastles, talk, journal, lay in the sun... But it was the ocean that seemed to have the strongest pull on us, and we kept finding ourselves out laughing and splashing in the surf.
There is something to be said for the slight tinge of fear you feel when being swallowed up and pulled under by a wave. Perhaps the most exciting moment is watching a large one build and come rushing towards you. But as much fun as the ocean is, it's dangerous as well. The waves are an obvious peril, but there is something more powerful and threatening that is so subtle, it is often overlooked: the current.
As I stood in the surf between waves and felt the powerful undertow grab at my ankles, I was struck by the life lesson the ocean teaches. In our faith, we have times of obvious hardship; the deaths of loved ones, financial crises, or health issues are a few that come to mind. Such situations are like the waves, we plant our feet in the ground and pray we can keep our heads above water. But it is not the "wave" moments that are most dangerous to our souls. It is the slow undercurrent that drags us backwards between the waves.
That undercurrent is the "daily grind," the mind-numbing sameness of our everyday life. In reality, the waves often drive us closer to God, forcing us bury ourselves in Him and His promises. But the current is often unnoticed, pulling us away when we think we are safe.
As a kid, my dad taught me a trick: keep watching the shore to make sure you aren't pulled to far away. This is not only good practical advice, it's good spiritual advice as well. In the ebb and flow of our everyday lives, in the crazy hectic-ness of soccer practices and family dinners and forgotten homework, we may forget about the tide. For this reason, we have to keep our eyes focused on the eternity promised to us. We must see beyond the physical world into the ever-present spiritual realm with the ongoing battle between good and evil. We must remind ourselves that though we are weak to resist the pull of the ocean, we serve the One who created it, and His strength knows no limits.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though it's waters roar and foam." -Psalm 46:1-3
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