Cast Adrift!
by Angela Weir
Just recently a young man was wind surfing off the west coast of Scotland. It was beautiful weather and the wind was brisk, sufficient to give him an exhilarating experience. However, when he decided he had had enough and tried to land, he discovered that the wind was coming from off-shore and it began to blow him away from the beach. One can only imagine how his fear must have grown as he saw land receding and knew that he was being taken further and further away from safety.
He spent one night at sea, moving ever further from shore and was preparing for a second which would surely be his last. As he looked towards the setting sun, he made peace with himself and no doubt prayed to whatever god he believed in, when he heard the rescue helicopter overhead. They picked him up some thirty-six hours after he went missing, and, considering what he’d been through, he was in reasonably good shape. He was badly sunburned, had hypothermia and was very shaken, and ready to break his surf board into kindling for the fire!
Our Christian walk can be a little like that at times. We begin full of enthusiasm, moving in the power of the Spirit and riding the crest of any ‘wave’ that might come along to challenge us. But as we grow older in the faith we sometimes begin to lose our focus and begin to drift away. Maybe we’re seeking a new experience, something fresh which will renew our excitement, and we begin to reach out for it, only to find that we’ve been blown off course and are now cast adrift.
We must keep steadfast and press on, even in the ‘dry’ or ‘wilderness’ times, when it appears that God has forgotten about us and has left us to struggle on without Him. He hasn’t forgotten us, of course, and is just out of reach holding out His hands saying, “Come on. Press on. I’m here,” rather like a parent encouraging a child to walk. He’s made a promise never to leave or forsake us, and once God has made a promise He’ll never break it. We can trust Him to be utterly faithful.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that I can always rely on You to be there for me, even when I don’t feel Your presence. You’re completely faithful. Please forgive me for the times I try to do my own thing and wander away from You. Help me to know that, no matter how far I’ve drifted away, You’re always ready to call me back. Thank You, faithful Father, Amen.
Angela Weir has been associated with Ellel Ministries from the very beginning, first as an associate member of the ministry team and later as an associate teacher. She trained as an actress before moving to Cumbria, where she taught drama in a girls’ school. She now teaches and ministers at various Ellel Centres.
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