God's Roadmap

Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 TPT).


Sunday, July 22, 2018

Swimming with Sharks


by Barbara Latta


A popular resort activity is diving with sharks and feeding them. People pay money to get
Swimming with Sharks
into the water with an animal that has the capacity to eat them. I am not one of those tourists. When I have been in the water I am constantly looking for anything that might want to feed on me. Once while snorkeling in the Caribbean I was enjoying the clear water and view of tropical reef below me. A school of fish rushed underneath, and I was thinking, “Wow, what a wonderful sight!” until I had another thought, “What if something is chasing them?” My wonderment changed to fear even though I didn’t see any predators around.

Shark Week starts this week on the Discovery Channel and all those commercials reminded me of the sharks we swim with every day in the world we live in. We don’t have to be in the water to be surrounded by predators. If you are a Christian, you are bait for the enemy. Jesus said if they hated Him, they would also hate us (John 15:18-18).

But He also said they will know you are Christians by your love (John 13:35). The way Jesus loved is the way we are supposed to love also.  The love walk goes against the sinful nature and is the only thing that will repel a shark attack.

But how do we live this love life?

Fellowship with the Father instead of feeding on shark leftovers. Sharks in the ocean are followed by remora, a fish that eats the parasites from the shark’s skin. Listening to negative news, harmful talk, and entertainment draws us deeper into the shark infested waters where we can get eaten up. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world; and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8). It is easy to become distracted by the activities of life and before we know it we realize we haven’t been fellowshipping with our Father. The lack of intimacy causes weakness and we can be consuming the shark leftovers without realizing it. This can affect our attitude and behavior.

Be strong and of good courage. Don’t fear the sharks. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9 NKJV). Sharks in the water are a terrible sight, but fearing them only invites them in. Research has determined that sharks sense electrical impulses in prey from the thrashing and fearful activity.[i] When we fear the worldly sharks, the enemy can sense that we are becoming a victim and the attack begins.

Keep bait away from the sharks. Some people will bait us by trying to start an argument or continuing to use harassing conversation. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility, correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth (2 Timothy 2:23-24 NKJV).

While we are on this earth we are in the shark tank. But we can rely on our Father for protection. Divers who study sharks get in a cage for protection. Our part is to dwell in the shark cage of that protection by standing on His Word. We are still in the ocean with the sharks until God takes us out of here. But His Word is the steel reinforcement surrounding us keeping us from being eaten up if we stay in the cage of His love.

Feel free to share your thoughts about shark week.




[i] http://aquamarinediscovery.blogspot.com/2008/10/sharks.html

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