Life with the Good Shepherd and Guide
by Pastor Tom Yarbrough
Summer has officially begun. It seems unfair that the first day of Summer is also the longest day of the year; the fact that every day gets shorter as the season progresses can be saddening for those of us who love to be outside. While I am thankful for the way each season declares God’s faithfulness, summer can feel too short. I want each day to be as long and light as possible.
Recently, Jenny and I took our kayaks east of the city in search of a waterfall that is only reachable by boat. Jenny had made this trip but it was my first time so I counted on her to lead the way. Not far off the interstate, a two-lane road took us to a large but uncrowded lake dock where we put in our kayaks and set out, doing our best to avoid any motor boats that were leaving the dock. We struggled to make headway against the wakes created by the bigger boats but eventually, the dock was behind us. After we paddled the length of the lake for what seemed like half an hour (but was probably much shorter) Jenny pointed to a small sign on the shore that was almost completely obscured by trees. “This way!” she called over her shoulder. I was thankful that she had been here before. We entered a winding embayment where the going was easier (or maybe it was just an illusion caused by being closer to both shores) and the sounds of boat motors were no longer noticeable except for the occasional cruiser slowly heading to or from the falls. Herons swept in and out gracefully, occasionally landing on the branches of fallen trees protruding from the water. They seemed unimpressed with our clumsy efforts as we attempted to glide through their world in our hunks of molded plastic, smelling of sun screen, crying out, “Did you see that one?” each time we spotted a rising musky.
As we rounded the final bend into the creek arm, we suddenly heard the sound of pounding water, the 110-foot high falls now visible in the near distance. Waterfalls never fail to excite me. I paddled harder, eager to get to our destination. Had the water levels been higher, we could have paddled all the way to the base of the falls. However, that day we pulled the kayaks onto the shore and made our way to the cove, partly wading through the shallow current, partly walking over large, sun-drenched slabs of limestone that stair-stepped up to a dense tree line. As inviting as it looked, we didn’t immediately head for the round pool of water. Instead, we sat on the largest rock slap to eat the lunches we had packed and to soak in the scenery and sound that surrounded us. But we couldn’t resist the chilly swimming hole formed by the falls for very long and soon found ourselves wading in, shivering from the shock of the temperature and joking about how brave and adventurous we were being. This remote cove was the why and the where that prompted us to set out on our little journey. The loading, the driving, the unloading, and the seemingly endless paddling had all been for this. And these few moments suddenly made it all worth it.
This remote cove was the why and the where that prompted us to set out on our little journey. The loading, the driving, the unloading, and the seemingly endless paddling had all been for this. And these few moments suddenly made it all worth it.
I’ve always been a sucker for the idea of adventure. I was raised in the 1970s and 80s on the holdover appeal of dusty westerns. I never tired of watching Indiana Jones risk it all for the treasure on the big screen. I still remember the thrill of discovering that Aslan the lion was good but not necessarily safe in my pre-bedtime journeys to C.S. Lewis’s Narnia. Perhaps you can relate.
More recently, I have rediscovered the exhilaration of the action-packed narrative in the book of Acts as we have studied through it together on Sunday mornings this year. Although we’re taking a break for the month of July, some of the most exciting narrative is still ahead; murderous mobs, shipwrecks and snakebites, capture and narrow escape are all elements of the true story of how the Holy Spirit, working through the apostles, grew the church and catalyzed the spread of the Gospel in the first century. It’s easy to imagine these early Christians breathlessly wondering, “Where will the Spirit take us next and what will He do to reveal Jesus?” We should guard against an imagination that could grow calloused to the thrill of this thought.
For most of us, life is lived in the ordinary; the day-to-day rhythms of work and rest, bill-paying, and time spent with family and friends. At best, we manage the occasional mini-adventure, such as a search for a waterfall or a hiking trip through one of our incredible national parks or even a missions boat journey along the Amazon. Every mini-adventure is a small chapter in the greater adventure that is life in its sum, even if it seems to be made of mostly ordinary moments. Life itself, especially when lived in submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit, can be seen as a thrilling adventure in some sense. But it is not THE adventure. The most intentionally daring life is still a mere echo of the ultimate adventure that eternity with Jesus in a fully restored creation will be. Never will we feel more alive than when we are free from sin in the presence of our good King in a creation that is absent of danger but bursting with purpose (Psalm 116:11.)
The most intentionally daring life is still a mere echo of the ultimate adventure that eternity with Jesus in a fully restored creation will be.
Gospel life is not meant to be a self-guided expedition. Sometimes we are guided by others who know the way; sometimes we offer guidance. Ultimately, our destination will be reached, not by our effort but by the faithfulness of our Good Shepherd who lovingly leads us and ensures that we have seasons of rest and joy along with seasons of labor and suffering (Psalm 23.) But we do not labor or suffer in vain as we abide in Him. We are promised that someday there will be a consummation (not upon our arriving but upon His return arrival) and a view so breathtaking will open up before us such that we will not wonder if it was worth the journey (Romans 8:14-18.)
Pressing on in His goodness,
Pastor Tom
