Ride the Wave

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12, NIV).

One of my favorite things about spending time at the beach are the early mornings spent watching the sun rise above the waters. It’s always majestic, and as the sun shines bright across the vast ocean waters, I am reminded of the amazing God we serve.

When I snap photos of the sunrise, I’m always reminded of the beginning of the creation and I never want to take for granted the miracle of another day, and the mercies of Jesus that are new, too. The visits to the beach always remind me of this as I have a front row seat to the sun rising over the waters and bringing light into a dark world. 

The beach I visit is never particularly busy, so it’s always so fun to take inventory of those who are out on the waters early to sail, fish, and surf. One morning I took a stroll down the beach, toward the jetty as the sun rose above the waters. I snapped this photo of a few surfers heading out into the water to catch a few waves.

As I watched these men walk into the water, it was abundantly clear they were well versed in surfing, and were well prepared. They had on proper clothing, nice surfboards, and it was evident they had spent a lot of time practicing their technique in order to catch, and ride, the waves as they crashed toward the shore.

I asked myself this question: Am I properly equipping myself to wage war against the enemy?

Ephesians 6 provides clear instruction on the importance of preparing ourselves for battle. As followers of Jesus, we are in a war, and verse 12 reminds us: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

As those surfers prepared themselves to ride the waves, we too must prepare ourselves by putting on the armor of God, as alluded to in Ephesians 6:14-16:

The belt of truth.

The breastplate of righteousness.

The shoes of peace.

The shield of faith.

The helmet of salvation.

The sword of the Spirit.

I want to be brave. I want to walk with Jesus into unknown waters, as He calls me. I want to lean into the guidance of the Lord as I place my trust in Him.

Armor up, and ride the wave, my friends. Say yes to Jesus, and He will take you on an adventure unlike anything you’ve ever known. All for your good, and His glory.