Ebb and Flow

As I go through my days and weeks, I often think of the ocean, rivers, and creeks I grew up near. How the water ebbs and flows. My life is much like that. Ebb is the flowing back or returning to a starting point, receding or going down; The low points. Flow is the rushing in or pushing forward, the flooding to get as far forward or up as high as you can go; The high points. All of our lives are filled with ebbs and flows. There are many days where there seems to be way more ebbing than there is flowing.

God knows how our day will playout before we ever crawl out of our beds. Isn’t that an amazing thing to know? God knows before we do. Sometimes our ebbs are so low that we are stuck in the muck and the mire of daily living. But there are also times when the flows are so high and fast that we need a buoy or an anchor to hold us in place. But God! But God knows all of this. He is right there with his hand out when the muck and mire are too deep and He’s still right there lifting us up so we don’t float away. That is the reason I can get through each and every day.

God also teaches each of us to do the same. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” He was reminding them to not stop and to keep encouraging one another. Lift each other up.

When we are at our lowest, Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God, and the peace that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ.”

As our days ebb and flow, know that there is one constant that will remain our anchor if only we keep our eyes lifted and our hands reached up in prayer. Jesus Christ is already there. All you have to do is reach out.

(Photo of almost the same spot on Little Pee Dee River)