I started on Monday…again…the journey to get this body in shape…bought new walking shoes…created a great play list of worship music on my Ipod and walked to the shoreline for inspiration.
And it was there… not only is the ocean breathtaking at that time of day… the culture of people and activity kept me completely distracted from my screaming calves…asking why were not at home sipping tea and watching the morning news…
But the surfers mesmerized me the most…they sit in the water
leaning slightly forward…waiting…anticipating…expecting…hoping for the wave…the one that will catapult them into the air and help them walk on water.
The first day the whole time I walked not a single wave.
And yet they sat completely focused on their intent…oblivious to the life right behind them on the beach and unaffected by the activity underneath them…(Shark week people)…they just wait for that one incredible moment when the wave will pick them and carry them and the thrill for which they have waited comes.

While I watched I had this thought…our Christian life is a lot like that…most of our days are spent just sitting on the board…no great waves of destiny or power…just waiting and believing that the day will come when we will see a miracle…or have a really significant moment with the Lord in our personal devotions…or the sermon that Sunday answers the question of our hearts…or that someone we have prayed for will come to Christ…or that God really does come in and save the day. And we will rise with the swell of the water and stand on our surf board and soar in His power and strength…
But the simple truth is those moments are really quite honestly rare…
Mostly it is a lot of waiting in the water…leaning forward…and learning the lessons of the surf board in it’s stilled position…sharing the journey with others like the surfers who wait together….learning not to be distracted from our journey by the things behind us…and not to give into the terror of the unknown that lingers beneath us…this is not as fun as riding the waves…but is necessary…it builds the strength needed to catch the wave when it comes.

It is in the stillness of life that our faith is tested…when the water is flat and not even a ripple of wave can be seen…that things happen deep in us…that truth can be developed in us or we choose to take the easy way out and get off the board altogether…
My heart always breaks for those that make that choice…who give up right before the wave comes.
I understand that temptation…I have felt the desire to just slip into the water and give up…often
But you cannot surf if you are not on the board…
and a wave will come…maybe not for a very long time…but it will come.
After a very long, difficult season of waiting on the board…I am enjoying this present wave of God’s miraculous hand extended toward me…but I know the stillness will come again and He will teach me lessons on the board again…but today… I am surfing baby!