Pastor's Perspective - Buoyant & Reliable

The story grabbed by attention for three reasons. First I’m a perennial football fan. Second, it happened where I grew up. Third, I could empathize somewhat through personal experience.

The story I’m speaking of was the tragic loss of three friends this past weekend in the Gulf of Mexico off the central coast of Florida. To briefly recap, four buddies (two NFL and two college players) went on a fishing trip that went horrendously wrong. Their vessel, in chilly windy weather, was overturned. According to Fox News, all four donned life jackets and clung to the boat. After fighting valiantly to survive for several hours after capsizing, one player removed his jacket and was swept away. A few hours later, another player unfastened his jacket and followed suit. Throughout the night, the two remaining friends stayed with the boat; until one thought he saw a light on the distance horizon, removed his jacket and swam away, never to return. The lone survivor clung to the hull of the boat for 46 hours.

Eighteen years ago, while pleasure boating with some friends in that very same body of water, an unanticipated storm caught us off guard. Instead of the powerful weather cell hitting us gulf-to-shore, it quickly blew in without warning shore-to-gulf, separating us from the safety of port. In a mad dash to reach the dock, we sped head-long into heavy rain and tall churning waves. To add insult to injury, nightfall swept over us, leaving us absolutely disoriented and fearful that our boat might flip over. After several hours of unprecedented terror and a radically rejuvenated prayer life, the US Coast Guard found us, drenched and cold, bobbing in the blackness, and towed us back to land. To this day I wonder how my story could have dramatically changed that night.

More than a regrettable news story, I see the events of this past weekend as a modern-day parable of sorts. Let me explain.

I believe that the three decisive actions of these four buddies reflect the ways millions are responding to the storms we are currently encountering in America and even in the church. Some, after fighting the best they can, have just lost all semblance of hope. For them, there is no sign of rescue. All they see is struggle without answers, darkness without dawn. Sadly, their hopelessness can be contagious. Still others, desperate for something better, find themselves swimming frantically away from the familiar toward the uncertain and unknown. Finally, others stay with what they know - that which has proven so far to be buoyant and reliable.

Friends, Jesus told us in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Likewise in Matthew 16:18, He stated that even the gates of hell would not prevail against His bride the church. Some would say that the Bible and the church are outdated and no longer relevant to real life. In other words, they are no longer buoyant and reliable for our generation. However, Jesus Christ tells us something quite different! He promises that in the middle of the ominous storms of all kinds that threaten to capsize your life and future, you can cling to His Word, find real hope in His promises and find true rescue with His people.

Please join me in praying for the families and friends of Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith and Will Bleakley, and for the recuperation of Nick Schuyler.