The Guiding Light

To the People of God,

“According to Eric Ferkenhoff in the Chicago Tribune, on Father’s Day 1997 Ricardo Enamorado set out on a jet ski from Chicago’s Wilson Avenue boat ramp and headed north along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. After traveling several miles north, at about 3 p.m. he turned around to head back south when the engine on the jet ski suddenly quit. Unable to restart it, he floated along nonchalantly, expecting help to come quickly on the busy waters of Chicago. Gradually, though, the wind and waves pushed Enamorado farther and farther from shore, and help did not come. By dusk he was frantic. Dressed only in cutoffs, tennis shoes, and a life preserver, he spent the night on the chilly waters of the lake.

The next day Coast Guard helicopters and a Chicago fire department chopper equipped with special radar began searching for the lost man. By the end of the day they still had not found him, and Enamorado, hungry and sunburned, spent another night on the dark waters of Lake Michigan.

Finally, the next morning one of the search-and-rescue teams spotted a flash of light. Enamorado was signaling in the search team’s direction with a mirror, The nearly two day ordeal was over at last.

A loss of power can be more dangerous than we realize.

There have been periods in my life when I have felt overwhelmed, depressed, unsure, worried, incapable, or even not competent. When I feel those and many more feelings, I am aware that I can spiral into a malaise. That malaise affected my mood, my motivation, and my desire to engage with others. Sometimes in those periods, life was pretty dark. I worried about family issues - would my lifeguard job paychecks cover my rent this month, and all while keeping up the demands of academia.

I bring this story to you because Jesus is the Power Source. When we lose sight of Him, we lose our power. Many times, the worries of the day cloud our ability to “feel close to God”, or to “see God in our lives.” This period in my life was a long time ago, but there were times when the malaise did turn to depression. What I have learned in the years since, is that Jesus is always with me. I know where to find joy. I know what will ground me.

What do you do when the worries of the world get the better of you? Who do you turn to? What grounds you in your faith?

Citation: Craig Brian Larson and Leadership Journal. “Power (#512)” 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers , and Writers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993. p. 410.

Blessings,

Rev. Anne +