May 13, 2023
There is a sleepy disease we are subject to in this life; Christ though he had roused up his disciples twice, yet takes them napping the third time. Either exercise thy grace, or Satan will act thy corruption; as one bucket goes down the other riseth;
William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour
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I like to think of life as a river we’re all kayaking, with heaven upstream and death downstream. On this river, you will encounter several different kinds of paddlers. You’ll see the adrenaline junkies living fast and loose, paddling downstream hard with the current. You’ll see many with their feet up and paddle out of the water, smiling and leisurely letting the current take them downstream, enjoying the ride. Then you will see those with their boat pointed in the other direction: upstream. Some of these may be laboring with the ferocity of a soul that knows they are paddling away from hellfire. But some may be simply floating downstream backward.
When we meet Christ, he tells us to turn around and start paddling against the current: toward life. We live in a fallen world ruled by an enemy that hates us, and we are subject to one of the most wicked and Godless cultures imaginable; this river’s current is strong. Traveling upstream requires you to paddle ceaselessly; if you stop momentarily, you’ll immediately find yourself going downstream with everyone else. So I encourage you to endure and to paddle against the current like your life depends on it; because it does. Glory awaits you at the end of your struggle.