A little over twenty years ago, when I was a lot younger (and a lot thinner), I went on a canoe trip down a river a few hours from my home. Midway through the trip, we stopped for a while, parked the canoe on the riverbank and waded in the water for a while. I didn’t realize how far the water had carried us downstream until it was time to get back to the canoe. Although it was not a huge distance, it was a difficult distance to cover. I discovered that I could stand against the current but pushing against it and getting myself back upstream presented quite the problem for me.
In fact, I found myself unable to fight against the current, but thankfully, my brother was with me. My brother, Jason, would take a big step forward and then reach back for me and pull me up beside him. He did this repeatedly until we made it back to the riverbank near our canoe. Occasionally, this memory will surface, and I always find myself grateful to the brother who helped me get to where I needed to be that day. He did what I could not do and got me safely to the shore. Sometimes, you need a brother’s help to get you safely back on shore when you aren’t strong enough to fight the current.
Beloved, have you found yourself drifting downstream farther than you planned? Or are you perhaps fighting against the current without seeming to get anywhere? Maybe your strength is running low, and you are struggling to keep pressing on. There is One who can help. You have a Brother who is willing to step into the water and help you make it back to the shore. You have a Brother with more than enough strength to pull you through. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matt. 11:28. His arms are reaching out to you, ready to help you, dear heart.
Another thing that comes to mind as I think of how my dear brother helped me that day is the fact that I need to be intentional about looking for those who might need my help. I need to be aware of those in my life that may be struggling and need my help to make it back to the shore. I need to ask God to help me see the need of those in my life that may need my help. It may be as simple as just lifting them up in prayer or God may lead me to get in the water with them. Whatever the case may be, I need to ask God to give me eyes to see the need around me.
The truth is that there is no telling how many people that I know and love are actually floundering in the water and battling a current I know nothing about. People are so good at hiding their pain and struggles that it can be easy to miss. I need to pray that God will make me more aware and more compassionate. I also need to pray that He will make me willing to act. Sometimes, you have to get in the water with them. Sometimes, you have to help carry their load when they can no longer carry it on their own. Sometimes, they just need a little help and encouragement.
“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me’” Matt. 25:40. May we all seek to have a servant’s heart and eyes to see the need around us. May we be willing to step into the water and do whatever needs to be done to help our brothers and sisters. The days are growing shorter, my friend, let’s do all we can to “rescue the perishing”. Dear heart, just ask God to help you to do whatever He may lead you to do to help those who may need a little help getting back to the shore. – Katrina Douglas
