Follow Me…And Don’t Slow Down!!
Have you ever ridden on a “Powercat?” If you’re not familiar with them, it’s a small, two-seater catamaran powered by an outboard motor. (A picture of a Powercat” is shown below.) Not too long ago, my wife and I signed up for a guided tour that would take us through a number of waterways off the coast of Florida. Rentals were available for some ocean “fun.” (Hmmm!?!?)
Well, this particular day we were the only ones scheduled to go, so the tour guide took a little latitude to “gun it” through the inlets. What my wife and I quickly discovered was that 1) We had to follow him closely to stay in the wake he created for us and 2) Don’t slow down! Slowing down would get us stuck in the low spots or be tossed wildly in every direction from the waves and wakes of other boats, all of them being much larger than ours.
All said and done, we made it back to shore safely, but not without some lessons learned. About halfway through the trip, I couldn’t help but compare how the focus and mindset we needed to safely stay on course on the water was so similar to how we need to approach our daily walk with our Lord Jesus. Follow me! And don’t slow down!! That was it! Staying close to the Lord and keeping our eyes fixed on Him will keep us from “getting stuck” or “thrown off course” by the many distractions we encounter each day. And when the curve balls and unexpected winds of change come our way, we need to keep moving forward and never let the turbulence of the world around us slow us down.
As we’re still early in the New Year, it may be a good time to recommit ourselves to Jesus, to walk with Him each day, and not be swayed or tossed by the commotion and confusion that so often surrounds us. Focusing on the Jesus will bring us closer to Him and help avoid the distractions that bombard us like rough waves on the sea. And whether or not we see the “waves” coming, we need to keep our eyes on the Lord, keep moving forward and don’t slow down! Unexpected challenges will inevitably come our way, and that’s the time for us to bear down, keep our eyes, minds and hearts keenly focused on Jesus, and drive forward following in His path.
Dear Lord we pray – As we begin another New Year, we pray that we can increase our focus on You each day. Help us to always stay on the path that leads to You and give the strength and courage to continually move forward, following the only path that will lead us to eternal life. As we navigate through new challenges and changes, we know that You are our steady Rock. Be with us in our journey to walk closer to You in this New Year.
Have a Holy and Happy New Year,
