The Ebb and Flow

Have you ever gone out to sit on the beach for the day? You probably had everything with you so that you could enjoy the day uninterrupted. Your beach chair gets positioned in just the right place where you aren't too far from the water to walk on the hot sand. Your cooler is there with all the food delights and drinks for the day and your blanket and umbrella positioned just right as to lend the appropriate shade that you need. It's a peaceful little scene on that beach as you watch the waves break on the shoreline. Children laugh as they leap into each oncoming wave and dads build sandcastles with the toddlers who can't brave the waves yet. Your book is in your lap as you doze off with the warm sun shining on your face and a feeling of peace and calm that only the ocean air seems to bring to you. Then it happens. . . . . You are awakened suddenly to find the flow of the tide has reached not just your feet but your cooler, your blanket and umbrella which is now listing from the lack of sand to properly hold it up! You jump up and squeal as you start grabbing your items and retreating back to drier ground with all of your now drenched essentials. As you watch your sunscreen bottle gulped up by the newest wave and subsequently float out to sea you stand there wondering what has just happened. Well, I can tell you sheerly from this little scenario and maybe my own experience, you have just been privy to another of life's "ebb and flow" moments. Just when you think you are in the middle of the peace-filled "ebb" of things where tranquility is washing over you and your troubles are drifting away. . . . . the "flow" happens! The fast approaching tide of life events takes you by surprise and jolts you back to reality.
That seems to be what the painting looks like folks. The "ebb" and "flow" of life is a natural occurrence, a dance if you will that looks like we will have to learn how to move to. Carefree childhood days jumping in the puddles. . . . the scraped knees from falling off of that first two wheel bike ride; standing at the altar saying "I do" to the love of your life. . . . . .the overwhelming cries of babies, dirty dishes and laundry; watching your children graduate from school with such immense pride that you could burst . . . . . . having your electricity turned off because you are drowning in a mountain of debt. There it is. . . . . The ebb and flow of life. Sometimes wonderful, sometimes, not so wonderful. But nonetheless it's the way of life. What we must learn to do is to adjust our thinking and reaction to the flow part. The ebb is wonderful in all of the joyful memories that it seems to make but when the rush of the unexpected flow hits us, well, we don't always embrace it with as much gusto and happiness do we? In Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 it says, "For everything there is an appointed time, a time for every matter under heaven:a time to bear and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to root up what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace." 
What will we do when the unexpected time,or flow, washes in quickly and unexpectedly to our lives leaving us drenched and wiped out like the waves of a fast moving tide? Here's what we will do.. ... . We will gather up our stuff, move to drier ground and regroup. We will make it regardless of what that wave seemingly did to us. We will dry out, reposition our umbrellas and at some point recline in our chairs again with that good book, take a deep breath and be grateful! We will "count it all joy" and be able to smile or even laugh at ourselves and know that maybe just maybe being caught in the flow isn't always a bad thing but sometimes a necessary thing. For there is certainly one thing I'm now sure of. . . . . and that is just how far to position my beach chair to the ocean in the future! For as surely as the sun comes up in the morning bringing the light, the sun will also go down in the evening bringing the darkness. The tides will ebb and the tides will flow just make sure you've equipped yourself with what ever you need to face the darkness of the flow. It will also help us to appreciate the peace filled days much more. 

Insight insert:  My challenge to you this week is to fill yourself up in every way by Prayer, reading the Word or fasting. Equip yourself in the natural as well. Maybe that looks like stowing just a little more money into a savings fund for unexpected emergencies or buying extra groceries in case someone may be in need. Thinking ahead before the wave hits as much as possible is always a good thing. The bible says to "equip ourselves for every good work" so in every way we should try to be ready. We will sometimes be caught off guard and that happens but maybe there are things that we can do to make those flow moments a bit easier to recoup from. 

Scripture: II Timothy 3:17
."so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work"