The sounds of rushing water grew louder as we approached the turn in the river.
I tightened my grip on the t-handle of my paddle nervously.
“Listen to my commands.” our guide reminded us.
We plunged into the raging waters.
“Forward 2!”
There was splashing water, rocks on every side, and no time to look around. My eyes were on my paddle as I listened intently for the guide’s commands.
After making it through, we raised our oars in a group high-five, adrenaline and relief coursing through us.
But there was no time to relax; our guide was already preparing us for the next set of rapids and the commands he would use. He also told us what to do if we fell out of our raft. He wanted us to be prepared, no matter what happened.
We appreciated the fact that he talked us through each rapid before we got to it. No one doubted him or questioned him. We followed his instructions.
Why did our entire raft follow our guide? Was it because he was a nice guy? Or because he made us laugh? What made us trust him to get us through all the different types of rapids on this river?
He had been down these rapids before. He knew what to do to make it through safely. And he was in the raft with us, with each rock we got stuck on, each wave that knocked us sideways. He was with us, guiding us through each moment.
And that reminds me of Christmas.
It is a perfect picture of how Jesus is with us in every moment of every day. In the calm moments before the rapid, in the middle of the chaos, and afterwards, even if we fall out of the raft. He isn’t shouting commands at us, though. We have His Words in the Bible and those words will guide us if we focus on them.
Like the guide and the rapids, Jesus walked through this world. He has experienced the things you and I are experiencing. And He did that so He could guide and encourage us in every moment of our days, right here in 2022.
Our rafting guide never had to remind us that he was with us in the raft. We were very aware of our dependency on him.
But remembering that Jesus is with us and responding to life like He is with us takes time. Our hearts are quick to forget, especially when we feel like we are in control. As we get to know God and read what He says in His Word, we become aware of our dependency on Him in the rapids and the calm.
And better yet, He is a guide that will never fail us. We can trust Him.
The Psalms are a great place to begin seeing our dependence on God. “David kept his mind so intently fixed upon the providence of God, as to be fully persuaded, that whenever any difficulty of distress should befall him, God would be always at hand to assist him.” (Martin Luther)
We can also focus on God’s care and provision for us so much that we become convinced that He is always with us and working on our behalf.
This is Christmas in everyday life.