Sneaker Waves

"See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise," Ephesians 5:15

To walk circumspectly one needs to live carefully, wisely, and cautiously.  Look ahead, be prepared what is coming around the corner.

 I thought of this verse while I was caught unaware in deeper sea water than I realized.  I spent the weekend at the Oregon Coast with my sister and her husband, and even though I grew up walking the shoreline of the West Coast, my time on the Prairie removed my cautionary skills.  While the tide was out, we were able to walk on rocks that are usually hidden in high tide, and with my head down and my eyes focused on revealed starfish, sea anemones, agates, and algae, I was hit by a sneaker wave.  A sneaker wave is a large, unexpected wave that suddenly appears without warning.  Sometimes the force will cause you to fall down, but in this instance, it just allowed me to lift my head and see that low tide was suddenly becoming high tide, and I needed to get quickly back to shore.  Standing on a rock with water all around it, I weighed the options in my head; get off the rock into the deep water and waves, or calmly wait for the water to recede enough for another rock to be exposed and work my way back to the sandy beach?  I decided to calmly wait for the waves to recede and jump from rock to rock back to the sandy beach.  When I got there, I told my sister that I didn't realize how far I had gone out there, and I didn't realize how fast the ocean was making its way back inland.  To be honest, it was a little scary; I was not looking where I should have been looking.  I was so focused on looking down at all the beautiful distractions, that I did not see that danger had crept in.

Sin will do that too.  The circumstances of life will allow us to focus on the distractions of the world, earthy pleasures perhaps? Then the sneaker waves hit, and they pull you down, suck you in, your head is barely above water.

Funny how it takes getting hit by a wave to readjust your focus!

Paul warns us to live circumspectly.  Live to be prepared for what is coming.

Peter reminds us of the same thing: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8

Don't be hit by a sneaker wave...

    remain on The Rock, and be prepared for what is headed your way...

        But that's just me!