Have you ever floated in the ocean? I know my feet were born in the plains of Texas, but I have always been drawn to the water. And there’s nothing like letting go, face up to the sun, and rocking gently back and forth with those waves. I’m not talking about stormy waves, just the easy waves that come on a calm sunny day.
Just as a side note, I can float all day. I don’t understand the science, but my body is a human flotation device. Lol I can’t dive for pennies at the pool because I can’t go down! My body just starts floating back up before I get very far. One day I watched a special about diving where a woman had to tie sandbags around her waist because she was a floater too. I am not alone! If we’re ever in a shipwreck together, just find me!
But back to my point! You can go out 10-20 yards from the shore and waft on those waves while you daydream and feel the splashes of salt in your eyes and pretty soon you look up and find you’ve gone just a little farther out. Easy enough to swim inward a few feet until your toes touch the ground but that’s when you begin to look around. You gaze straight forward at the shore and start to look for your camp. Where’s the big umbrella you set up as a marker? Where are your people? Where are you?!
The first time this happened to me it gave me a little scare. I presume I wasn’t really in any danger but it was scary to be away from my ‘home.’ Then as my eyes began to scan the sandy beach I could see the place where I had begun. Without realizing it, I had slipped a good 100 yards down the shoreline. As those gentle waves rocked my thoughts to another place, I couldn’t have told you that I was drifting away.
I wish when I was drifting away from my Father there would be a giant splash in the face or someone would yell “Shark!” and make me come reeling home! But the truth is, we begin to lose our way very gently – a small choice here, a small choice there – rock, rock, rock – we get comfortable with each new phase and never notice the difference. Pretty soon something that would have been appalling to us a few years ago seems pretty ok now. We’ve gotten used to it. We’re hanging out with folks that are ok with it. That makes it ok, right? This makes me think a lot about the people I want to drift along life with.
There’s a story in Matthew 9 that makes me think a lot about friends. A group of friends carry a paralyzed man to Jesus. Jesus sees their faith and heals the man and forgives his sins. It doesn’t really say anything about the man’s faith or his gratitude. These friends carried this man to Jesus! Their faith healed him! Friends will carry you somewhere. Where do I carry friends? Something to think about.
Asking God, our Captain, before any decision is a good idea. Praying about our jobs, our mates, our time, and everything in between is essential to our journey. Let Father God map out your life and be your compass. He will never steer you wrong.
We can’t avoid life with all its gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, ups and downs. We have a choice of who to do life with but that doesn’t always help us avoid the currents. There is only One who anchors us and keeps us stable on a journey Home. There is only One who is faithful to lead us to the shore of a crystal sea. When we tether to Jesus, He will keep us safe. He will draw us Home.
Be blessed.
