“Fishermen in France, before setting out, would say this prayer: ‘Keep us, our God; for your ocean is so wide and our boat is so small. ‘ An unknown author commented on this prayer, saying: ‘We are so weak, so helpless, so forgetful of God’s loving-kindness. Tossed to and fro at the mercy of the world, except He hold us, we perish.'” (Richard DeHaan)
As I am preparing to go canoeing, I am reading this as my daily devotional in the book, “Together with God: Psalms.” It is no coincidence that this just happens to match my activity of the day. What is God telling me? Come with us, God, on our canoe excursion. Keep us safe. Our boat, our skill is small but You, O Lord, are mighty.
It is a beautiful day, magnificent views. We have snacks, water, paddles, life jackets. We set off. We know there will be minor rapids, level 1. They are short, less than 1,000 feet long. The first 3 are relatively easy, kind of fun. A change of pace from the smooth, gentle waters we are navigating. Then, the fourth rapid we see is a little more challenging in that we see large rocks jutting out. We try to follow my sister and her husband as they are more experienced. We make a mistake, head for a large rock. I don’t know my role in the front position so I don’t react appropriately. Our canoe sways, we tip, start to take on some water and we need to bale. We quickly find our footing but now we have to traverse the rest of the rapids on foot while also moving towards the shore. We are not panicking. We are communicating. I am focused on my footing, while also holding onto the canoe. The water is not deep but the current is strong. My sister and husband retrieve a paddle and some items that have floated towards them. We are thankful to make it to shore, thankful to be back in the canoe now, thankful to be advised on how to react in the front position. We have gained experience from this mishap. We have a good rest of the day and are able to laugh about it later.
It is through trials and tribulations that we learn, gain wisdom. We trusted God before our trip began, we trusted Him in the canoes, and we continue to trust Him each and every day. Psalm 70:5b says, “He is your help and your deliverer. He will not delay.” So, whether you find yourself in water trying to get safely to shore, an appointment, a confrontation, your job, etc… know and believe that God is with you. Hold on to Him in the calm days and in the storms of life.