Tharsei

So my favorite thing to photograph, forever and always, is water droplets.  One of the main reasons for that is because of the reflection you can capture trapped within the tiny speck of water. Here, you can see the sun reflected off the top of the river, which is crazy beautiful. (I also love textures, which hi hello this is way cool in it's depth of texture, IMO) 

In it's very nature, water is a bit mysterious: it will change based on it's surroundings-- a change in temperature will change it's physical properties. And whether it wants to or not, it will reflect that which it surrounds. // aren't we just like that? Easily swayed to and fro, depending on what surrounds us? So how do we steady ourselves? Keep our feet from stumbling into whatever we happen to be victim to by proximity? I believe the answer lies in more water. Becoming engulfed sounds terrifying right? I remember vividly when I was 7, swimming in HHI and being sucked in by the undertow. I remember the paralyzing fear - and the actual paralysis, realizing I was no longer in control. I've never seen my mom more terrified, either. But the thing with the undertow is the only solution is to let it take you-- to go limp and surrender to the flow and power of the current. If you try to fight it, you'll just make it 10x worse for yourself. What if that was our reaction? Instead of fighting so dang hard, what if we just surrendered? 

What if we opened our hands and said, "ok, lead me" and actually meant it? I love the song Oceans.. Nearly every line speaks straight to my heart, but I've been singing this one over and over and over recently: "keep my eyes above the waves; when oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace for I am Yours and You are mine" -- if we were simply able to keep our gaze fixed on Him, how much more would we see? We'd lift our eyes above the circumstances; above the heartache; above the illness; above the doubt; above the ground-rattling, knees-shaking pain of this world. We've got to have something to give us perspective in this crazy life. If we can step back and look up, we can be filled with hope. With peace. With love and light and LIFE. So when the waves hit, and we're tempted to be tossed to and fro, let's keep our eyes above those waves, steadying our feet by steadying our gaze.  Let's look to the Creator of the waves. Let's look to the One who knows every inch of that wave and the power it holds to destroy you; yet He gracefully gives you all you need to rise above it. Let's look to the pierced hands that secured our freedom forever, knowing no wave could touch that security, no matter how ominous it may seem. 

Yes storms will come, and they will try their very best to break you. I am not trying to negate the fact that there ARE very real troubles, heartaches and pains felt in this world. Trust me, I have felt them. But more than that, I've seen God carry me above them. I've had flashbacks to that 7 year old me... But worse: crippled by fears and anxieties of this world, I was being pulled under by the weight of all that is seen and unseen as I fought relentlessly to keep my head above water. But what finally rescued me was not my fighting, but rather His hand reaching out and lifting me above the wave. I had to trust and see and walk with Him above it; knowing He had called me to it, and He'd never forsake me. I love the passage where Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water. If you have a sec, go read it again, and focus on this: see the change in Peter and pay attention to where He is putting his attention. You'll find that as soon as he shifts his gaze from Jesus to the circumstance, He immediately begins to panic. Fear sets in- and it sets in FAST.  And sweet, patient Jesus simply extends His hand and says, don't be afraid. I'm here.  And we all think... What?! How can we not be afraid? Do you see what looms ahead? Do you know what I've been through? He does. He knows every part of it before you did. And He wants to walk with you through it. But it requires an action on your part-- something I didn't realize until I was so far under that I thought I'd never breakthrough the surface again. It requires you actively choosing to receive His hand.  In verse 27, Jesus says, "take courage" -- there: in that "take" is the active choosing.  He's not saying "be courage" or "have courage" -- no. Take it. He's extended it the whole time-- but you have to be willing to accept it. To take hold of that hand and be willing to rise above the wave with Him. [if you're a nerd like me and want to read about the Greek word used here-- the same one used for John 16:33, "in this world you will have trouble but *take heart* for I have overcome the world"-- check out the link at the bottom of the post.]

 God doesn't promise a problem-free life. In fact it's quite the opposite. But He does promise us that He will be with us, always. That for every problem, there's a solution. And not just that, but there's a peace; a hope; a comfort to go alongside that solution.  Not some cute, cushy feeling, but a tangible relief found only in the blood poured from our Savior's hands as he defeated death, and sickness and weakness along with all fear, depression and anxiety with one swift move, forever redeeming and ransoming our hearts. 

So yes, there will be incredibly ferocious waves threatening to take you under.  But there is an incredibly ferocious love fighting those waves; a love that can handle them-- I promise. If you can look just above those waves and stand, paralyzed not by fear, but by awe and wonder, you will not be shaken. 

[Isaiah 54:10]

[Psalm 46]

[John 16:33]

[Matthew 14:22-33]

http://occ.edu/alumni/default.aspx?id=2350