Riding the Waves

"What is the way to the abode of light?
       And where does darkness reside?

 Can you take them to their places?
       Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

 Surely you know, for you were already born!
       You have lived so many years! – Job 38: 19-21

Today’s Reading: Job 38: 19-21 Acts 16:1-21

Any time a section of the Bible is entitled “The LORD Speaks” one might want to pay special attention to it.

God has responded to Job; and he came with the thunder.

This makes me think a lot about myself actually. I have always been one to ask why. And when I don’t understand or agree with the answer I am none too pleased as well.

I suppose there is arrogance in this. It is great to understand why things are, or why things have happened but is it really the most important question to ask?

In third grade we had to write current events. They were small reports based on something that happened in the news. The questions that had to be addressed were who, what, where, when, why, and how. The answer to the question “why” was the bread and butter of these assignments. The answer showed whether or not you read and understood the article. A proper understanding of “why” demonstrated a mastery of the topic.

Is it possible to have such a mastery when it comes to the way that life unfolds? Even if we did understand “why” is there anything we can do about it?

This is what God is saying to me as I read these chapters:

So you want to know why? Ok that’s cool… let’s pretend that you could actually comprehend the answer to “why”; what exactly would you do about it? Do you have the power to act on it? Do you want to be me? Just be you lil’ homie… just be you. I promise you that this is a job that you do not desire and are not qualified for.”

As we go about the world endeavoring to live the best lives that we imagine possible it can be easy to fall into the illusion that we are in complete control. This is why bad events and unexplainable happenings trouble us so much. They jar us into recognizing that ultimately we are not in control.

Much like how sails and rudders direct a boat on the water; ultimately, the boat is at the mercy of the waves and winds that it rides upon. Sometimes our lives have calms seas and gentle winds. We are able to direct our paths with relative ease, thinking that we are responsible for arriving at the destinations that we seek. But when the storms of life send rains and waves and winds crashing upon our masts, we are reminded of our place.

No matter how much we try to steer and force our way; ultimately, we must try to navigate along with the sea. It is in these moments that we are driven to God, whether to pray or to curse him. We are driven in this direction because we know, to some degree, that we are not in complete control. We realize that no matter what we do we cannot help ourselves.

At times life’s journey is as perilous as it is joyous. If we remember that we will never master the oceans of life, then we will better appreciate when the seas are calm. And when they are rough, we will be better equipped to trust and have faith that things will be ok.

We just have to ride the waves instead of fighting them.