Walking Away from a “Seaweed Wrapped Around Head” Kind of Life
There are a few truths we must digest:
- God is in the business of second chances!
- Grace, like water, flows to our lowest places!
- The devil cannot do anything in the life of the believer without God’s permission!
- The LORD—He Is In Control of All Circumstances & In Every Situation!
So, even when we are drowning in the depths of sin, GOD HEARS OUR CRY & SAVES US!
There is a story I wish to share, one that is emblazoned in my memory, and one that occurred (now) twenty years ago at a time when our little girl did not know how to ride her bike. A few days ago, I was reminded of this memory when my daughter and her husband shared time away from home, and during that get-away, they rented and rode bicycles. She sent me a photo (one taken by my son-in-law) showing her smiling as she rode her bike toward him on a sun-shiny day. In my mind, I see another photo of a day when she rode a bike as a tiny four-year-old, but in that memory, she did not ride her bike alone because she did not know how (to ride a bike).
Go with me to our back yard and step into the season of summertime. My nephew Zack was an older, elementary boy, one who still liked to play. My daughter and nephew had been outside playing, as they often did, and on that particular day, she gained a skill that she has never forgotten.
Riding a Bike is a skill; nevertheless, a good life, a full life, and a happy life can be enjoyed even when one does not know how to ride a bicycle. In fact, go with me into a memory and see THE WAY our daughter learned to ride her bike.
That day, I found myself visiting with my sister-in-law, and as I glanced out the window to check on the kids, I saw Sydney on her small bike we had purchased, but I also noticed Zack too. You see, Zack is a young man today who experienced a stroke when he was just a tiny baby. Since that day, he has faced difficulties with the right side of his body, and whenever he grabs hold of anything with his right hand, he is blessed with an extra-strong grip. On that particular day, twenty-years ago, Zack’s grip was a most-beautiful sight to behold.
One way to identify THE WAY our daughter learned to ride her bike can be found by looking into God’s Holy Word. In the book of Jonah, we find God’s man Jonah running away from the task God has given him to do. In fact, we find Jonah running so far that Jonah finds himself in the depth of the sea with seaweed wrapped around his head, but do not believe me. Let’s see God’s Word together.
“Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish,
(Jonah 2: 1-5 NASB)
and he said,
“I called out of my distress
to the LORD,
And He answered me.
I called for help from the
depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
For You threw me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current flowed around me.
All Your breakers and waves
passed over me.
So I said, ‘I have been cast
out of Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again
toward Your holy temple.’
Water encompassed me to
the point of death.
The deep flowed around me,
Seaweed was wrapped
around my head.”
God loved Jonah. If God had not loved Jonah, God would never have sent the storm into Jonah’s life.
Since God loved Jonah, oftentimes a storm is sent into our lives when we disobey God because God loves us and wants us to get back on track, on the straight and narrow path of life.
Thank goodness: God is in the business of second chances!
And it is such a blessing how God’s Grace, like water, flows to the lowest places!
A Truth about the devil: He cannot do anything in the life of the believer without God’s permission!
The LORD—GOD—Is Always In Control of All Circumstances & Situations!
So, whenever we go through ‘some-thing BIG’ & truly it just does not make sense; nevertheless, one day it will (make sense to us) because we worship a God who loves us unconditionally! Therefore, even when we are drowning in the depths of sin & feel the seaweed wrapped around our head—GOD HEARS OUR CRY & GOD SAVES US!
As noted earlier, learning to ride a bike is a skill we often learn at a young age, one taught to us by our parents as they gently hold onto our bicycle seat as they walk along beside us. Yet, in learning to ride our bikes, there comes a moment when our earthly parents LET GO of our bicycle once we gained our balance. Sure, we may crashed just a few feet ahead from where they stopped walking along beside us, holding us, but eventually, we do learn how to retain our balance and stay seated without crashing. (To be truthful, “not crashing” is something I am still learning to do, but that is a life-lesson there for another day)
WE WORSHIP—
- AN AMAZING GOD WHO HOLDS ON TIGHTLY TO US & WHO NEVER LETS US GO! &
- JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR WALKS WITH US WHEREVER WE GO, GUIDING US THROUGH THE DIRECTIONS OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT!
AND WE SERVE—
- AN ALMIGHTY GOD WHO CALLS US & WHO LEADS US & WHO NEVER FORSAKES US—ONCE WE ARE HIS!
MOST DEFINITELY—OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS A MOST-AMAZING GOD!
As I reflect back on the day when our little girl learned to ride her bike, when Zack’s grip was a most-beautiful sight, I recall peering into the back yard and seeing the two of them together—Sydney was sitting on the bicycle and Zack was holding tightly to her bicycle handlebars leading her across the yard. I stood there amazed!
- Without his secure grip upon her bicycle, Sydney would have most definitely crashed.
- Without Zack’s tight-fisted grip, Sydney may not have mastered the art of riding her bike that day.
- Without a doubt, when we give our life to Jesus as our Savior, God takes ahold of us & never lets us go!
- Without a doubt, God can use whatever skill He gives us to do His will!
- God equips us for the life-experiences He already knows we will go through as we live!
- Most assuredly, if we are obedient—The LORD—will lead us through Every Situation!
We know because Moses wrote in the Old Testament these words to remind of God’s sustaining presence.
“And the LORD is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”
(Deuteronomy 31: 8 NASB)
God’s authority does not leave us when He calls us to do something because there are certain things in life that only we can do. Just ask Sydney who now rides her bike (thanks to Zack), & just ask Zack who used his skill to teach Sydney to ride her bike (thanks to her trust in Zack’s extra-tight grip).
How is God asking us to trust Him today? &
What is a certain task God has given us to do?
There are certain TRUTHS TO KNOW ABOUT GOD & US—
- HE LOVES ALL PEOPLE—UNCONDITIONALLY!
- HE SENT JESUS TO SEEK & TO SAVE ALL OF US!
- JESUS CALLS EACH PERSON TO COME TO KNOW HIM AS SAVIOR!
- ONCE WE BELONG TO GOD, HE PROMISED TO NEVER FORSAKE US!
- IT IS A FACT THAT GOD NEVER PUSHES US FROM BEHIND BUT INSTEAD GOD LEADS US FROM THE FRONT!
- SO WITHOUT A DOUBT, GOD’S AMAZING GRIP WILL HOLD US SECURELY AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS LIFE!
- PEOPLE OFTEN ASK: WHAT IS OUR TASK: THAT’S EASY. WE ARE TO OBEY GOD & TO NOT DISOBEY HIS LEADING!
- THUS, IT IS OUR JOB TO FOLLOW GOD’S ONLY SON JESUS CHRIST!
Today, we may find ourselves walking in a “Seaweed Wrapped Around Our Head” Kind of Life-Situation, but with God’s leadership, WE CAN WALK ANEW! Although we walk through some BIG trials that truly just do not make sense, one day it will (make sense to us) because God loved Jonah & God loves us & God loves all mankind—unconditionally! When we are drowning in the depths & feel the seaweed wrapped around our head, let us always remember—GOD HEARS OUR CRY & GOD SAVES US!
A wonderful melody that speaks to this is “For the Love of God” by Andrew Ripp. Maybe today will provide you an opportunity to listen.