If you have been fishing long enough, you have got a story to tell about a motor breakdown and how you had to paddle all the way back to the dock. I can remember two of these episodes and the order of events is always the same. You’re several miles from the dock and the big motor quits. You use the trolling motor until the batteries run dry and then you skull with a paddle the last mile from the front of the boat. If you were catching fish there would be three other boats in the hollow that you’re in. But when you really need help there is not another one within a hundred miles. And then there is the wind. Why is it you always have a head wind when you’re in these situations? I guess it’s just part of the trial. I’ve also noticed this dilemma has no respect for the brand of boat you own. Whether it’s a Ranger, a Nitro, a Basstracker, or a Jon boat, there is going to come a time where the most important piece of equipment you have will be a paddle.
I’m reminded of a story in the Bible. The men in this boat had no Mercury or Evinrude or Johnson. They knew nothing about horsepower, only manpower. The Bible says Jesus was on the bank and saw they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind. Later that night he walked out on the water and saved them. The lesson for them is also the lesson for us. Some of you are rowing hard and struggling against the wind. That wind may be one that is coming from disaster, disappointment, discouragement, depression, or a host of other things. It may be blowing against your family or your finances. But it’s real and it’s serious. Let me encourage you by telling you the Lord sees and he cares. There is no obstacle that can keep him from getting to you. He may not come when you think he ought to, or he may allow you to go through more than you think you can stand. But remember, he always has one hand on the thermostat and the other on the timer. And just when you think you can‘t paddle any longer, he will come walking on the water, just in time, to throw you a rope and a give you a tow.
Gary Miller
gary@outdoortruths.org