I was able to go jet skiing this spring and it was a little terrifying- you’re flying over a coral reef that has 1 foot clearance until you might hit a sandbar at 80 miles an hour. You’re out in the middle of the open ocean in the Caribbean. All you have in front of you are some bubbles of the next rider’s wake. You know you have to stay 100m behind, but you don’t want to crash out and immediately hit water 80 miles an hour and have to crawl back on your JetSki. So you live in this very scary line of fear of not getting lost, but having to follow the path of the leader.
Without following their wake, I could be in danger of running aground, hitting coral and flying off-causing injury, jet ski replacement fees or even death!
Fortunately, there was a lifeguard bringing up the rear in the line- to make sure that no one got lost - or to direct the back of the line.
I knew as long as I stayed within eyesight of the lifeguard- that I would be safe. They kept giving me hand signals to stay the course and keep focused on the wake of bubbles before me.
Let’s just say that I prayed more on that jet ski than I did all week!
And the Holy Spirit reminded me of another life lesson- we must follow the path marked out for us- Hebrews 12:1
NLT
Without following our Leader- our Pioneer- Jesus-that paved the way before us- we could run aground as well- crashing into cycles of anxiety, fear, addiction and loss of joy or life.
So we live in this narrow window- of not getting distracted by everything around us- staying focused on the “Author and Finisher” of our faith.
The Holy Spirit- our real-life- lifeguard- is our “rear guard” keeping us motivated and assured of our purpose- giving us little signals to keep going (Isaiah 52:12) - turn left and stay the course.
Have you felt “off-course?” Let the Holy Spirt get you back to to the place that you can see the path set before you.