Lessons from a Soul Surfer
Yesterday after watching Soul Surfer I went and grabbed my Bible. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to read, but Habakkuk came to mind...so I took the hint and began reading. As I read 4 verses jumped off the page at me…Hab 1:5, Hab 2:3, Hab 3:17-19.
“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Hab 1:5
“Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Hab 2:3
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Hab 3:17-19
Then the Lord brought 1 Cor 2:9 and 2 Cor 5:7 to mind “For no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind as conceived what God has planned for those who love him.”
“Walk by faith not by sight” 2 Cor 5:7
As I read those verses I kept thinking of my favorite scene from “Soul Surfer” when Bethany paddles out into what seems like the unknown only to catch the biggest wave of the competition,but even before she was faced with the decision to paddle out farther than anyone else would all day, her Dad gave her some advise that I just love!!!
Dad: “The waves are big out there today; so if you try to match them wave for wave you’re gonna wear yourself out w/ all that paddling; so don’t just take any wave that comes along. All the greatest surfers...they had this six-sense; they knew when the best waves were coming—they can feel it, it’s a gift, and you have that gift.You know that moment between the sets when it’s quiet and waves haven’t even formed yet? There is just energy surging through the water—well, that’s the time to be patient! Listen to your instincts and trust it.”
The water is as calm as can be. There is not a wave in sight. The girls are sitting on their boards (10 sec) left on the clock and Bethany start to paddle out of the line up…she feels something is out in the distance even though there is no evidence that anything, any wave, is coming. As she is paddling out further than anyone has been all day this is the conversation that her mother and father are having on the beach along w/ the judges…
Judges: “Bethany is paddling outside the line up…what does she see? No one has been out that far all day
Brother: “Why is she so far out? What, is she giving up?
Mom: “ I dunno?”
Dad: (with a grin): “She feels something…”
Mom: “there is nothing out there!!”
Dad: (still grinning): Nothing…YET!
Judges: “There are no waves on the horizon, we are about to end the competition…but wait there is Bethany Hamilton w/ a wave out the back…”
To try and make this short and sweet Bethany surfs beautifully and makes it through a barrel perfectly. She looks up and smiles as if she knows that wave was a gift from God. (Side note: I was thinking that surfing is about as close to walking on water as you can get really.) Anyway I tear up at this scene in the movie every time because it is such a picture of the faith we are called to walk by as believers in Christ. There are times that we are called to “paddle” into the unknown w/ nothing but faith and trust in God as our guide. Look at Abram.
I also loved the advise Bethany’s dad have her. “The greatest surfers knew when the best waves were coming.” The greatest surfers knew how to wait on the best wave…not just any wave. I just love this scene because it shows how Bethany had to learn to wait…but man, when she did it called for her to take a leap of faith…to go w/ what she felt in her gut to do…to paddle out farther than anyone else had gone, and it turned out to be the best wave of the whole competition, but it took patience, discernment and faith to wait on it and then catch it.
Thats basically my long way of saying…don’t’ be afraid to paddle out into the unknown. But, also learn that sometimes, as cheesy as it sounds, good things do come to those who wait…who wait upon the Lord!
“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Hab 1:5
“Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Hab 2:3
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Hab 3:17-19
Then the Lord brought 1 Cor 2:9 and 2 Cor 5:7 to mind “For no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind as conceived what God has planned for those who love him.”
“Walk by faith not by sight” 2 Cor 5:7
As I read those verses I kept thinking of my favorite scene from “Soul Surfer” when Bethany paddles out into what seems like the unknown only to catch the biggest wave of the competition,but even before she was faced with the decision to paddle out farther than anyone else would all day, her Dad gave her some advise that I just love!!!
Dad: “The waves are big out there today; so if you try to match them wave for wave you’re gonna wear yourself out w/ all that paddling; so don’t just take any wave that comes along. All the greatest surfers...they had this six-sense; they knew when the best waves were coming—they can feel it, it’s a gift, and you have that gift.You know that moment between the sets when it’s quiet and waves haven’t even formed yet? There is just energy surging through the water—well, that’s the time to be patient! Listen to your instincts and trust it.”
The water is as calm as can be. There is not a wave in sight. The girls are sitting on their boards (10 sec) left on the clock and Bethany start to paddle out of the line up…she feels something is out in the distance even though there is no evidence that anything, any wave, is coming. As she is paddling out further than anyone has been all day this is the conversation that her mother and father are having on the beach along w/ the judges…
Judges: “Bethany is paddling outside the line up…what does she see? No one has been out that far all day
Brother: “Why is she so far out? What, is she giving up?
Mom: “ I dunno?”
Dad: (with a grin): “She feels something…”
Mom: “there is nothing out there!!”
Dad: (still grinning): Nothing…YET!
Judges: “There are no waves on the horizon, we are about to end the competition…but wait there is Bethany Hamilton w/ a wave out the back…”
To try and make this short and sweet Bethany surfs beautifully and makes it through a barrel perfectly. She looks up and smiles as if she knows that wave was a gift from God. (Side note: I was thinking that surfing is about as close to walking on water as you can get really.) Anyway I tear up at this scene in the movie every time because it is such a picture of the faith we are called to walk by as believers in Christ. There are times that we are called to “paddle” into the unknown w/ nothing but faith and trust in God as our guide. Look at Abram.
I also loved the advise Bethany’s dad have her. “The greatest surfers knew when the best waves were coming.” The greatest surfers knew how to wait on the best wave…not just any wave. I just love this scene because it shows how Bethany had to learn to wait…but man, when she did it called for her to take a leap of faith…to go w/ what she felt in her gut to do…to paddle out farther than anyone else had gone, and it turned out to be the best wave of the whole competition, but it took patience, discernment and faith to wait on it and then catch it.
Thats basically my long way of saying…don’t’ be afraid to paddle out into the unknown. But, also learn that sometimes, as cheesy as it sounds, good things do come to those who wait…who wait upon the Lord!
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