ROUGH SAILING AHEAD

During my youth, the two metaphors or symbols of Christ my youth group focused on were "light" and "running water." Jesus was the light, and the water symbolized the stream of life. When we accepted Christ, our lives would be like a flowing stream of pure, clear water flowing gently and peacefully along. As members of Christian families and a church that taught us the love of Jesus; we thought all we had to do was to accept Him and our lives would begin to flow with the stream. Sure, we wanted that kind of life. At sixteen I gave my life to Christ. I was eager to walk in His light and cruise down the gently flowing river of salvation.

I soon found this was not the whole picture. There were still periods of darkness when the sun didn't shine. The stream could become rough and the nights dark. However, I did have the assurance at these times that somewhere in the darkness; the presence of Christ was still with me. I knew if I could continue holding on through the darkness, the light would shine again in my life. The flowing stream I'd pictured as the Christian Walk through life sometimes slowed down; its water becoming dark and polluted. Rather than flowing in a straight line, it detoured around many fallen trees and debris that clogged its path. When these bends in the stream appeared, there seemed to be a tiny circle of light just beyond. I knew if I could keep moving and holding on to the image of the light, I could find my way out of the maze.

When these times came in my journey, I blamed myself. Where had I failed? This was not the life I thought I'd chosen. Later, I figured out this was God's way of purifying and making me stronger. Each time I came through a period of darkness, I realized Christ was teaching and molding me into the person He wanted me to be.

Today, as I tell others of the Christian life, I'm always careful to point out the obstacles they may encounter along the way. Walking the path of Jesus is not an easy one. It led Him to the cross, but it bought salvation for us. Our Christian journey will not be an easy one - but when we let Jesus walk with us, it is worth the trip. We become stronger and we can help others along the way. We can assure others that the Love of Jesus never leaves us. We may try to leave Him; or in the darkness, his light may be hard to see; but He's always there. We just need to remember to reach out toward Him.

Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." NRSV

…..Ivie Bozeman (ivie@rose.net) by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)