In his wonderful book When God Doesn’t Make Sense, James Dobson tells the story of a man who was on an eight-day trip downriver with some friends and the raft master who was guiding their raft. They encountered some treacherous rapids during their journey, but none as bad as the day they dropped over some falls in a canyon where the river sank thirty-seven vertical feet in a distance of seventy-five.
There, in the icy spray, with the roar of the churning water thundering in their ears, the raft master seemed to lose control, and their raft was flung sideways in the rapids. It was a terrible moment.
The man considered jumping: to leap from the raft and pit his strength against that of the frenzied river as it poured downward through the rapids. Fleetingly, that seemed to be a choice preferable to perishing with the floundering raft.
But he held on, and as he looked back, he could see what had happened. The raft master had spun the craft sideways on purpose. He did so to steer past an immense jagged rock that had fallen into the river from the canyon walls far above them. By going sideways hard and fast, he used the full power of the motor to push them safely past the jutting rock.
Now the man could see that if he had jumped into the river, he would certainly have died. Leaving the safety of the boat would have killed him instantly. It only appeared that the raft master had lost control of the situation. In reality, he was guiding the craft with great expertise. The raft was sideways for a reason, and the guide knew exactly what he was doing. Those in the boat were safe as long as they stayed with him.
In Dobson’s book, he quotes the words of his friend Bob Vernon: “To those of you who are plunging over the falls today, resist the temptation to jump overboard! God knows what He is doing. He has your raft sideways for a reason.”4
Has your raft ever been flung sideways in the spray? Does nothing make sense anymore? That has happened to me on occasion. Haven’t we all at one time or another experienced that sinking feeling of seeing our secure life spiraling out of control?
That’s when we make a most important decision. Sometimes it’s a split-second reaction. Other times it’s a dogged determination to hold on, a determination that must be renewed daily.
Will we believe the Raft Master of life has lost control, and jump into the rapids swirling around us? Or will we trust that God knows what he is doing, and honor our commitment to follow him?
In verse 31 of our Scripture for today, Paul tells us what to do: “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”
Take Paul’s words to heart: “If you don’t stay on the boat, you won’t make it to shore.” Or reword it like this: “If you turn away from God, he cannot take you safely through the falls and rapids in your life.”
| Prayer | Reflection |
| Lord, there are many things in life that I don’t understand. Help me remember that you know all things and that you will give me the strength to keep my commitment to you, even when things don’t make sense. | How can I remain committed to God today? |