A Wave of Life

Psalm 42:7, 8 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me-a prayer to the God of my life.

This is an interesting verse, speaking specifically of the “waves and breakers have swept over me” section. When we view waves, the typical interpretation is of violent and heavy cascades of water sweeping down and removing and destroying most things it touches. This reference that David gives is not referring to the destruction but to the refreshing, purifying and strengthening aspects of the waves. This is the cleansing of the “Spirit of God” washing over him and we can view this as a renewing of ourselves in God. God wants to pour out waves of powerful healthy refreshing power over his children – not the destructive or threatening waves of despair or turmoil!

A wave starts somewhere…we will never physically see the power of a forming wave. All we see is the calm before the storm. In this calmness, as the wave is building, is where we prefer to be but not where God wants us to be. There appears to be no activity in this calmness, life is good or at least on the surface it is. Even in this calmness… underwater, powerful action is taking place. The storm is brewing!

As the wave starts to build, a lifting up and a depressing down occurs. We see the uplift but not the downward depression. Personally, the depression is normally never seen until someone else shows it to us or even sometimes when it is too late. On top of the wave, life still seems very good and calm but there are indications that things are not as they should be. As the wave begins to form an uneasiness or sea sickness begins to form within.

Now we can see the full wave as it begins to crest. Again, life is still okay but we can also see where it will easily spill over if we don’t get a handle on it now. We either need to make preparations to ride the wave (Prayer and reading the will of God) or get knocked over by the spilling wave (think we can do it ourselves). We are now in the midst of the decision making process, trust in God or trust in ourselves.

For those of you who “ride the wave”, God is working in you through outreach and expanding your horizons. You are enjoying the ride and you’re growing/changing with the environment. You can see further than most because at the height of the wave the visibility gets much better. Your goals and vision have clarity; God’s has revealed more of his plan for you.  Even if the wave breaks to the shore you can easily step off safely and turn back to ride another wave.

If you choose to ride the wave but doubt in its midst, you get caught in the tunnel or possibly spill into the wave. You can no longer see what direction you are heading, the closeness of the water can make you fearful. Your only desire is to get out. Fear can overcome you and you can be enslaved by the churning water around you. You no longer have control; every current pushes you in the direction of its choice.  Your fear intensifies as you realize how close the reef really is. If you don’t get back to riding the wave (trusting in God) you could be tore apart by the reef. It can inflict wounds that only God can heal.

As the wave eventually touches the shore you can and most likely will be swept back into the ocean. It’s a choice again, be swept back into the other thundering and violent spilling waves or allow God to guide you over the tops and bring you back to the calmness…at least until you’re ready to ride the wave again.

By the way, there’s no avoiding the waves of life, God is making these waves.  That’s the good news though and there is even better news. Through riding the waves you gain experience; you gain understanding on how the waves work; through prayer and insight God gives you waves to ride; and this is the Christian ‘wave’ of life.

Just like surfers who let the waves do most of the work. In the waves that God gives us, let God do most of the work!

Are you ready to catch a wave?