Rest: A Savior

Rest: A Savior

 I recently read a story about Brett Archibald from South Africa. Married with two children, he and some of his friends decided to go on an adventure trip for his 50th birthday. They left their families at home and got on a plane to Indonesia for a week long surfing trip. After arriving they boarded a tour boat that would take them to the island where they would be surfing and enjoying the adventure together. 

In the middle of the night on their sea voyage a storm came up. Brett was awakened by the pounding of the hull into the waves, and some incredible seasickness. He went above deck and immediately began to feed the fish. After an hour of this and a particularly violent regurgitation, he got light headed and thought, “If I throw up like that again I am going to pass out”. The next thing he remembers was water splashing on his face. He thought that someone was splashing water on him to wake him, but what had really happened is that he had fallen overboard. He screamed for help but the wind and waves prevented the crew from hearing and the rest of his friends were down below. He was overboard at sea, at 3am in the morning. No life jacket, nothing except him and a very big ocean. All he could do was tread water and hope they would find him.

That moment of realization must have been excruciating. The suddenness of it, the panic, the fight or flight, all coupled with desperation as he realized that his rescue was improbable at best. I think it is this moment that so many wish to avoid. They hide in bottles, the sleep of distraction or pretend that this is just the way it is.

We are in a big ocean and even if there are people around you, you can’t help but realize ultimately you are alone. No one can do life for you. You have to make decisions and live with them. You have to try or not. Just like Bret you will encounter sharks, stinging jelly fish and even shoals of small fish that take only small bites but there are just so many of them.   I can imagine how he felt and recognize that same feeling. It is the realization that he and we need a savior.

Bret would do all he could to stay alive and keep treading water. He ended up treading water for 29 hours and drifted 11 miles from where he first fell in. There were times he decided to give up but ultimately he didn’t. Can you imagine the relief he felt when they threw him the life ring. Can you empathize with the joy he experienced at being hauled on board. Finally he could rest.

Do you realize where you are? Are you tired of treading water? Need a Savior?  Need Rest?

See you at church.

Pastor Chris