Wipe Out

As a teenager I lived in Southern California less than 2 miles from the beach. I loved the beach and really enjoyed body surfing, although I am no expert. No surf board or boogie board, just me and the water. I used to go to the beach with my family on the weekends and then with friends during the week days during the summer. Many times I would go alone. I was an aide in the Principal's office at the high school I attended. I knew if I got the faculty mail sorted quickly that his secretary would let me leave early and I could get down to the beach for a while. I loved that woman!

So I would drive down to the beach in my 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, get out, drop my stuff on the beach and run and jump in the water. I would patiently wait for something decent to ride in on. Sometimes I'd wait for a long time. It was so peaceful out there just me and the water. Then I'd spot it, a decent wave! I'd start to swim really hard and as fast as I could and if I caught it I'd ride it in. It was such a amazing experience!

I live in the south now and I am very land locked. We only get to the beach once every couple years now. I have children and I am usually too busy keeping an eye on them to go out by myself. The only water my children regularly get exposed to is our neighborhood pool. So, naturally, for safety sake, I don't take my eyes off them. My body surfing days are behind me now.

The other night I was dreaming about a day long ago on the beach. I remember I had been out in the water for a long time and then I saw it! The bomb, that is a pretty large wave, compared to the normal sized waves I'd seen that day. I hesitated and thought maybe I'd just swim under it. Maybe I couldn't handle it. You know that little voice that kinda gives you a check in your spirit. Well, I heard it and I ignored it. My 16 year old, teenage excitement overcame that voice and I started swimming and I caught it! It was awesome. At that moment I felt as though I was on top of the world. I felt like I was flying and gliding on top of the water as it carried me to shore! There is not a feeling like it in the world!

Then something went wrong and then next thing I know I was spinning around and twirling under the water and eating a little sand as well. As things began to calm I started looking around and it occurred to me that I didn't know where I was. I didn't know where up or down was. I had drifted down deeply in the water and I couldn't see the surface. I was in serious trouble. I had this panicky feeling and the thought occurred to me that this might be the end. I began fighting those thoughts and tried hard to calm myself down. I started looking around. I notice the bubbles next to me and noted the direction they were going in and followed them to the surface. I gasped loudly as my face hit the surface. Breathing air had never been so wonderful! I don't know how long I was down there, but it felt like a really, really long time!

So now it is 24 years later and I awake with a start! It was just a dream. It was just memory from long ago. I am in my house, in my bed. My husband is asleep next to me and my kids are all asleep in their rooms. I lay there thinking about that moment years ago and about what fear can do. I remember how paralyzed I was in that moment. I thought about the battle that was taking place in my mind. If I didn't take control of my thoughts that day I may very well not be here today. Then a familiar scripture came to mind.

2 Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Our minds can take us to some pretty far out places. If we let fear get a grip on our thoughts the results can be pretty catastrophic. Faith is the opposite of fear. Our fearful thoughts can drown out wisdom and direction. If we are living fearfully, we simply are not living. Fear brings distraction and distraction brings mistakes. We can miss what God might be trying to tell us. Some mistakes are costly. Some mistakes have eternal significance that we are not even aware of.

Father, help me to keep my mind closed to fear and fearful thoughts. Help me God to take all thoughts captive to Christ. Where there is doubt Lord, help me to overcome it. Especially when I wipe out! In Jesus Name, Amen.

More Than A Conqueror