Family Vacations, Wave Fighting, and Standing Our Ground

When I was little, one of my family’s favorite traditions was going to the beach every summer. Each summer, we would load up the four of us in our mini van and head to Myrtle Beach.

Like a lot of families, I suppose, we would eat at the same restaurants and do mostly the same things every year. We would do all of it as a family.

My favorite thing about going to the beach, though, was playing a game that I had made up as a small, small boy that I called wave fighter.

Here’s how Wave Fighter worked…

I would stand out in the water with my back to the shore. I would go out about waist deep and brace myself. When the wave came, I would try my best not to move my feet. My job, as a wave fighter, was to fight the wave and not allow it to move me.

As I’ve gotten a little older, I’ve come to know that much of life is a lot like wave fighting.

The truth is, life can often be a series of waves, one after the other, that try to knock us down and get sand in our mouths. Life can sometimes seem like a relentless series of smacks in the face.

The key?

To stand our ground. To stand your ground with conviction.

When God calls us to something, press through.
When you’re standing for what’s right, stand strong.
When the wave comes, plant your feet.

Be a wave fighter.

I recently gave this illustration in a sermon. Here’s the video…