-- 2 Peter 2:9My son and I just returned from a guys trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. One of our adventures was rafting the Poudre River. The river level was down a bit, being late summer. However, there were still several Class IV rapids along the route.
Another product of the late season water level? Rocks! Rocks normally safely under the water were exposed. They were route-changers. To my flat-land, still-pond mind, they were raft-eaters. Paddle-breakers. Trip-enders.
There were six people in our boat: Three from Amarillo (more flat-landers - one of whom apparently liked to swim through some of the rapids rather than stay in the raft), my son and me, and one other. It was this one other that made all the difference.
His name was Guide - though I think that is not what was on his birth certificate. And his job matched his name. Guide knew the river. He knew the rocks. He knew the rapids and the eddys. And Guide knew the route through the turbulence.
Guide told us our job was to 1) Listen to his commands; 2) Paddle hard; 3) Work together; and 4) Stay in the boat. However, Guide said that someone would more than likely leave the boat somewhere along the way. The word he used was ejected.
Prior to hitting the water, Guide walked us through the process of rescuing the ejected. Depending on where we were in the river, Guide might do the rescuing himself; or Guide might position the raft to have someone else do the rescue. Either way, the swimmer became a rafter once again at Guide's direction and positioning of the boat.
Today there will turbulent rapids. Guide knows the route.
Today there will be rocks. Guide knows each one.
Today some will be ejected. Guide has a rescue plan.
Listen to his voice... Paddle hard... Work together... Stay in the boat.
God, you are my Guide.
For now...
D
