If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waiver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-7
Most of us have been to the beach, playing in the waves and had the harrowing experience of being pulled under water by a crashing wave. The wave that smashes you to the sand, under the water, tossing you until you don’t know which way is up or down. You hold your breath convinced that the breath you took before being pulled under was likely your last. When you finally emerge from this fierce battle you are gasping for air, sand mixed in with every fiber of your being and completely disoriented.
The ocean in many ways is like life. It can leave us unaware of which way is up, which way to turn, or whose hand will pull us to our feet. Especially at times like these when we are faced with disease, unemployment, financial challenges, anxiety or feeling hopeless. Just like the ocean, life can toss us around and beat us to the ground, knocking the air from our lungs and we need rescuing. The question is, who do you turn to? When you are confused, anxious, broke or afraid? Who is your Lifeguard and how confident are you in Him?
My Lifeguard is Jesus and He has rescued me many times. He has pulled me from under waves and refilled my lungs with breath. But when I take my eyes off of Him, when I look to the world for direction or trust in the reports of the media or well-meaning friends, I return to being tossed in the waves. I exert more energy than necessary, become more stressed than needed and I lose my orientation as though I’m tumbling in the waves gasping for air.
We will encounter times when we are weak and struggling or when we are afraid and confused. In these times, we need wisdom and direction and we are told to go to our generous Father and ask Him. He loves to help us and He will never make us feel bad for coming to Him. All He asks is that we place our trust in Him alone. Instead of picking up our technology to scour the many opinions on social media or tuning into the news to have every ounce of peace robbed from us, we need to turn to Jesus, pick up our Bibles, pray, worship and ask Him to help us. He will! If we guard ourselves from the distractions that cause us to waiver, being blown and tossed about, our souls will find rest and peace in Christ Jesus.
Thank you, Lord, for times of looking at Your creation and allowing it to teach and remind us about You; about your power, majesty and Your wisdom. I pray we will be reminded that You are as generous and loving as you are powerful and that just for the asking, Your wisdom will be granted to us. The condition to this is simply that our faith and trust be in You alone, not shared with the ideas and ways of the world that surround us. I pray that for those who struggle with trusting in You, that You will quiet the distractions around them that want to pull them from you, tossing them into the waves. Each and everyday I pray that an added measure of faith be added to their walk with You, Lord.
In the wise and powerful name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.