Mark Sorensen During our recent trip to North Carolina, we spent some pretty incredible days as a family playing in the ocean. On one of the first days, there were some pretty remarkable waves that we experienced near the shore. Early on that first day in the ocean, I turned my back to the waves and tried jumping over them. It made perfect sense in my mind, yet, there were several times I didn’t clear the waves and they slapped into my back with the force of a football linebacker. To say it was painful is an understatement.
Then, an epiphany hit me. Go under the waves. So I changed my approach. As the large waves rolled in, I went under the water and they rolled right over me. It’s funny the contrast. When I turned my back to them, they pushed me down and, in some moments, literally rolled me on the ocean floor. But when I changed direction, when I literally faced the waves and went under, it was peaceful, yet the power and presence of the water rolled over me.
In the song, “Good, Good, Father”, we sing this refrain: “as you call me deeper still into love, love, love…”
I love the image of waves and going deeper into God’s will for our lives. Truly, He calls us deeper into love. To go deeper, we must turn from that which threatens to take us down.
Control is one of those waves that can crush us. Remember the application given in last Sunday’s message? Keep a proper perspective. Remember, God is God and we’re not. Keep your eyes on Him and wait patiently for His guidance and leading. And on the other side of perspective? Remember to trust. As Peter stepped out of the boat walking to Jesus, when his eyes were on Christ, he walked on water. But what happened when he took his eyes off of Christ? The water took him down. Next? Loosen the grip. Every single day, pray a prayer asking God to loosen the grip of your control from those things which are beyond your control. Finally, give yourself grace – grace to accept what you can control, and that which you cannot.
Remember. The Christian walk is just that, a walk. There are days we make great strides forward and days we may take a step backward. Yet, God’s beside us. He goes before us, and stands behind.
So to you, my friend, may you face the waves of life head on. And as you lower your head in prayer, may you experience the mighty rushing power of your Heavenly Father who surrounds you and beckons you deeper into the love of His mercy He makes available to you each and every day.
