Parents, Just when you thought…
As a 20ish year old , my parents took my sister and me to Hawaii, to celebrate a major anniversary for them. In my young, silly, “ten foot tall and made of steel” arrogance, I thought I would try surfing... without lessons. Besides, I reasoned, I had spent most of my life in the water: swim team, lifeguard, water-skier, boogie-boarder, skim-boarder… So I rented a big board, swam way out where the waves were breaking and surfers were waiting. I arrived and watched those around me for a moment. The waves didn’t seem to be too big, I thought this shouldn’t be hard. I found a wave and paddled to catch it. I was surprised by its tremendous power when I was plunged to the bottom, spun head over heels like I was in a front loading washer: human, and foam, and water… lots of water and sand, and human, foam, water, sand… I finally found which way was up and poked my head above the surface and gasped for air. By the way, my board, the one I had rented without the foot harness, ‘cause I didn’t figure I needed one, was surfing just fine the 100 yards back to shore without me. I hadn’t quite caught my breath when another wave plunged me to the bottom again, washer on the second cycle… This time when I surfaced, I figured I better start swimming. So, these humbling swirlies from mother nature happened again and again on the long swim back to shore. By the time I arrived back on solid ground, found my board, I only had enough energy to drag the giant thing back to the shack and fall exhausted on the beach. There were several moments on the terrifying swim back when I was slammed to the ocean floor, that my prayer life improved tremendously… “God, please save me!”
During these times, just when we thought, “what else can happen?” another wave hits us… COVID, lost economy, storms, more human tragedy, angry riots, fires, billowing smoke.... Peter reminds us of the words of the Prophet Joel during his great sermon at Pentecost: “I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous; And whoever calls out for help to me, God, will be saved." Acts 2:19-21 (MSG) 3000 people that day connected their lives with God by calling out, “Please save me!” Sometimes God allows us to get to a place where all we can do is call to Him. When we do, God answers immediately. Like when Peter, who had courageously climbed out of the boat to walk on water, “... saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt??" Matthew 14:30-31 (CSBBible) Join me in calling out to Jesus… knowing that He is immediately ready to grab us, connect with us and see us through these waves.
Hang in there people! God is with us! I’m praying for you all!
