You Shouldn't Go Out There (Part 2)

It really seemed like a good idea at the time- You know- Fling caution to the wind- Go for it- Answer the call to Adventure and Wildness and......... Well.....................Life.

It is a strange thing to be floating upside-down in a kayak, in a rushing river.

So how did I end up there? Bottom side of my boat up- Thinking- If I don't remember that wet-exit thing- I'm Done.

Matthew 14:28-31 "Lord if it is you" Peter said, "Tell me to come to you on the water". Jesus answered, "Come". So Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind and the waves, he was afraid and began to sink.

Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him....."

Ignoring the instructor, I had paddled hard for the fast water- "The Chute".

I started fine- thinking I would ferry a bit into the chute-

Then peel out into the fastest part of the current to ride the whitewater the hundred yards or so down into the calmer river below.

Then...........

In the midst of the turn to peel out into the rapid, I had the oddest feeling that the boat was somehow beginning to slide out from underneath me.

It felt like slow motion, but insantaneous-

All at the same time-

And there was nothing I could do to stop it-

In that split second I couldn't see anything but the rushing water-

Panic and Desperation-

Both rushed in together to consume me-

Along with an angry river.

God's calls-

At one point in our lives we would answer-

We would fling caution to the wind-

For the promise of Adventure and Wildness and Life-

His Life-

A Life of Bold Enterprises of Faith and Love for the Kingdom.

Ah, but then something shook us-

Maybe the wind or the rushing water-

Maybe a bad experience or naysayers-

Maybe we even ended up sinking or upside down-

Lost in panic and desperation-

We took our eyes off Jesus.

It doesn't take much to lose heart-

To resign ourselves to a life of safety.

Ephesians 5:14 " Wake up, O' Sleeper-

Rise from the dead

and Christ will shine on you"

Do you hear it? Can you sense God's Call?

Can you feel the hand of Jesus reaching down to "Catch" you?

As you recognize Him on the shore are you ready to cast all else aside and throw yourself into the water again to get to Him?

He is waiting there and just like Peter-

He will give you a charge-

"Feed My lambs- Take care of My sheep- Feed My sheep"

It's time.

Father God, help me to recognize all Your calls to Life today- Help me to rise from my slumber and follow You into the Life You have won for me. Help me to cast the scales of callousness and defeat off my eyes and to see rightly-

Help me to see.

Awaken my heart again- the Good Heart You have created in me through the Love of Jesus.

Move in us all for the Courage to follow our Captain- Our Lord Jesus.

Holy Spirit lead us into all these things today- Deep into Jesus.

Amen