My 25th wedding anniversary to Rich is coming up this summer. And I know what he might want to do: go deep sea fishing. No thanks. I got violently seasick with him fishing for marlin twenty years ago off the Sea of Cortez near Cabo San Lucas, and it was awful! I’m STILL not speaking to him.
The sea of life is much like my sea adventure…or should I say catastrophe? At times we’ll be voyaging along with a glorious view in sight only to suddenly feel disconcerted by the elements in the air called circumstances. They leave us exposed to possible dangers concerning our family, finances, or future. And what’s the worst part? We can’t get off the boat and fix them. Who knows each morning what lies ahead or what underwater sea monsters might surface?
So I’ve been practicing these little tips that aid me in warring off motion sickness.
I absorb the Dramamine of God’s Word. When something pops up that unsettles me, I quote my selected emergency Scriptures. God’s Word stabilizes the dizziness of my qualms and keeps my faith from swaying too far off course. The promises of God provide the center of gravity for my soul.
I lay down the binoculars. It’s natural to just sit there and gaze at the waves. But when I do, what began as a little ripple grows into a tsunami, “Help! Help! I’m washed away in the fearful tide of the unknown about to drown!” Instead, I need to stay focused on what’s constant – the horizon of God’s faithfulness and His ever-abiding presence alongside me.
I check my posture. Which way am I facing? Am I sitting backwards during the travel, mesmerized at what happened yesterday? Am I blowing off the new scenery of today, passing up new opportunities to be a blessing to someone else? If I am, it intensifies wooziness. My ship’s captain works to advance me forward.
I trust my guide. Jesus knows the waters well. He’s the master of marine science. After all, He created the deep and knows the way He takes. Why do I feel uneasy about what I cannot control? Why do I act like I’m in this concern all by myself? Or have I forgotten that Christ is in the boat with me?
I love Matthew 8:18 where the Almighty One got into the boat on the Sea of Galilee with His disciples. He gave them orders to go over to the other side. He launched the undertaking when He knew the storm was brewing. In fact, while the disciples were “freaking out” with the waves crashing against them, guess who was asleep in the stern with His head resting on a CUSHION? Jesus! (Now stop and envision that!)
So what sea urchin are you facing? What marlin fishing trip looms in your future? As for me, I’ve made up my mind. I’m sailing on, that is… as long as Jesus’s cushion is big enough for both of us.
