“Enjoy The Rapids Of Life”

Years ago my friends and I used to “float” down the Current River in Missouri. We would pack our canoes with food and beverage, wrap everything in plastic bags, tie them to the canoe so we wouldn’t lose everything in case we flipped, and head out. Lewis and Clark would have been jealous. 

The river was swollen from the winter snow and rain and would have some serious rapids. Probably 70% of the time we would casually float along, needing to paddle to keep going at a decent pace. But then we would “hit the rapids”…wooooo.….. this was where it was easy to turn over. You had to be alert and have some level of skill to avoid hitting the rocks at the wrong angle, flipping, and getting dunked. Yet, this was really the best time of the trip. The adrenalin rush, your pulse rate rising, the cold water splashing in your face…wow, it was a lot of fun. And even if you flipped, the consequences were usually not that bad…. although one time we did see our cooler of beer floating away…..auuuuugh.

Well, life can be a little bit like that “float trip” down the Current River. A lot of the time, things are pretty “normal”…. you do your duty and enjoy the ride… thanking God for a good life and so much beauty. But, occasionally you see that the current is picking up and you’re heading into some dangerous waters. Part of you doesn’t like the unknown troubles awaiting around the bend and yet often those unknowns cause you to wake up, to perk up, to get the adrenalin pumping. Everything kicks into a higher gear. You know you’re alive. Think back at the great moments of your life…most of them were in the midst of “dangers, toils, and snares”…where you experienced the Lord saving you.

To be honest, at 74 years old,  I pretty much like to stay out of the rapids…I like to float along in my “comfort zone’, enjoying the scenery. I like to remember the rapids from the past, but really prefer to stay out of them now. I’m not looking to flip the boat. Yet sometimes it seems the Lord likes to stir things up a bit. I can almost see a slight smile coming to his face as he whispers, “I think it’s time for “ole Dave” to wake up…he’s a bit too comfortable…let’s move this canoe into the rapids.” Auuuuugh, not the rapids !!!

I think the Lord knows that when it’s calm waters, I rely on myself and my own good ideas and get sluggish which can lead to being lukewarm…getting stuck in the mud, etc., etc., etc. So, the moral of the BLOG today is to not worry when the “currents of life”  increase and you see some serious rapids coming into view, but to tie down the gear and get ready for an adventure. God will lead us and protect us and pick us up if we flip. 

So, remember to “trust in the Lord, do good, and he will give you the desires of your heart”. (Ps. 37:3-4)….. and all will be well with my soul.