We are at the beach this week. During the same time period last year we were also fortunate to be able to head to the beach with some very dear friends. This is something that happened on our beach trip last year.
Our trip had been planned for about 9 months and it came at the perfect time. I love the beach, it is my happy place for sure. Let me rephrase that. I love the beach and the peacefulness of the ocean. I do not necessarily love to “get in” the ocean waters.
When we were there last year, there was a red flag every single day due to a rip current warning. I’m pretty sure you should stay out of the water when there is a red flag but there were so many people who just didn’t seem to care. We were at a particular part of the beach where there were lifeguards. The lifeguard would stand up with binoculars and keep watch up and down the beach. It seemed as though they had an imaginary “do not pass” line in the ocean and as soon as anyone would get close to that line they would blow a very loud whistle and wave a red flag signaling for the people in the water to come back to shore.
I cannot tell you how many times we heard that whistle and saw the lifeguard frantically waving that flag. The lifeguard knew the danger a rip current presented and how quickly it could overpower you and pull you under. I did notice, however, that there were also surfers out in the ocean on many days as the waves were extremely big and powerful. This seemed to make for very good surfing, and was very entertaining. The surfers would venture out very far to catch the best waves and surprisingly they were never whistled at or waved back to shore.
I was thinking about this as I watched them and I immediately thought about God. I don’t know this for sure but I feel like the surfers were not waved back into shore because they tether their surf board with a rope to their ankle for safety. A tether is a line to which someone is attached for security. The surfers have that surfboard attached to their ankles therefore they have a safety line that the swimmers do not have.
I thought about all the things that can cause me to be caught in a “life” rip current. The things that can overpower me and pull me under. There are situations like anxiety, stress, sickness, loneliness, uncertainty and so many other things. If I loosen my rope that tethers me to Jesus these things just pull me under and at times have the ability to make me feel as though I am drowning.
This usually happens because I am trying to juggle and handle all these things on my own and, honestly, I just can’t. Eventually, and hopefully sooner rather than later, I will hear a whistle (in my mind) from either a sermon, the Word, or a friend who reminds me to give all these worries or problems to Jesus and tighten the rope that tethers me to HIM.
There is a comfort when I remember I am tethered to Jesus. Are the stresses, the sickness, the uncertainty and other things still there? Yes they are but I am reminded that I am not alone!
To me, the beauty of knowing I am tethered to Jesus is even though I might stray and give the rope too much slack as I try to handle things on my own, He will never leave me alone. The rope will never break. He won’t let me go. The rope is always there. I just have to tighten my grip and tether closer to Him.
I don’t want to be tethered to anything or anyone but Jesus. There are so many things we can count on for safety and security. Maybe our job, our accomplishments, our bank account, or our relationships. Those things just allow us to drift out into the ocean because they cannot provide the safety and protection we need.
I know with my rope tethered to Jesus I can be confident that He will be my safe place no matter how choppy the waters or powerful the rip current becomes. I am sure I will never be a surfer. However, I will always remember the picture of the surfer tethered to the surfboard in rough waters. It will forever remind me to tighten my rope as I am tethered to Jesus.
What are you tethered to? In stormy seas or calm waters tighten your rope to your lifeline! Our tethered hearts and minds can rest securely knowing He is our strength and protector. Tether to Jesus!
___
Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
