I grew up in Baltimore, where I was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Eastpoint. Since June 2007, I've been serving as the pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Escanaba, Michigan - a city at the northern end of Lake Michigan. I live just a few blocks away from the beach and the
Sand Point lighthouse, which bring back memories of childhood summer vacations spent in Ocean City, Md., and Fenwick Island, Del.
One big difference between the beaches in this area and the ones on the Atlantic Ocean is the size of the waves. The Lake Michigan waves usually roll in calmly toward the shore here and lap gently at the beach. In contrast, the waves on the ocean come crashing into the shoreline. They
are violent and unpredictable. A number of times when I was young, I found myself knocked down by the waves when I was playing at the edge of the beach. One moment, I would be playing in the sand and enjoying the sunshine. The next moment I would be under the water, getting tossed around. This is a very disorienting and frightening experience. And the worst part is that you can't call out for help in this situation, because the water just comes rushing into your lungs. You either have to struggle to get back to your feet and above water, or wait until the wave recedes. A better outcome is when an adult notices and pulls you out of the water, rescuing you from the ordeal.
This reminds me of Psalm 130. The waves of sin are constantly crashing against the edges of our lives. Sometimes we are able to plant our feet firmly and resist the pull of sin and temptation. Sometimes we willingly dive right in and enjoy our sin. But sometimes when we are innocently enjoying the warmth and light of God's love in our lives, temptation suddenly knocks us off our feet, pulling us down into the depths of sin. We may struggle to get out of the situations in which we find ourselves, but that isn't always effective. Sometimes we lack the strength to get back on our feet and above water. And if we try to wait it out until the wave recedes, we may find ourselves being dragged in deeper like we're in a riptide.
But we must have faith in God. Like a good parent, God is always near, watching and ready to act. By staying close to God in faith, we always remain within God's great power to redeem. But when we turn and wander away from God, we put ourselves in great danger.
"Out of the depths I cry to you , O Lord ... with the Lord there is steadfast love and with him is great power to redeem." |
