Summer Vacation

Several years ago, I was leading a group of college students on a rafting trip down the Nantahala River, located at the base of the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina.  It had been a rainy summer, and the water level was much higher than average.  It was a great time to catch some serious white water.   

We had one rather boisterous 19-year-old girl named Beth in our group who talked incessantly about all the things she had already done in her young life.  Bungee jumping, sky diving, mountain climbing, and big game hunting.  Apparently, she had done them all.  She regaled us with breathtaking stories of the exciting adventures she had already experienced. 

About an hour after launching, we ran into a series of class IV rapids.  It was a difficult, demanding section of rapids that was only navigable with the expertise of our guide.  Beth was in the lead raft, directly in front of me.  The problem was, she wasn’t paddling.  She was just hanging on, letting the others do the work while she sat frozen in fear.    

At this point we were practically flying down the river.  As we rounded a corner, we saw two gigantic rocks sticking up out of the river.  Debris on either side made any other avenue impossible, so we had to pass through the narrow opening between the rocks over a rushing torrent of white water. 

As we made our approach, we watched the lead raft “shoot the gap.”  With the strong current and high waves forcing their nose down and tail up, we were horrified as Beth fell out of the raft.  I was in the back of my raft on the left side – the side that Beth was on.  The guide barked a loud command, “Grab her!”  I reached out, but she pulled me over into the water with her.  Fortunately, our experienced guide knew just what to do.  Reacting instantly, and with his feet anchored in the raft, he caught me by the shoulders.  He had me and I had Beth.   

Later that evening, as we sat around the campfire drying out, a very subdued, but grateful Beth admitted that much of her “previous experience” simply wasn’t true.  I appreciated her candor, and I enjoyed the opportunity to observe her growth for the rest of the trip. 

In Ezekiel 22:30, the old prophet tells us, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap … but I found none.” 

I don’t believe that God “would find none” at CityLinC.  We are professionals who work hard for the welfare of the children and families, and for people who struggle with substance abuse.  We do stand in the gap for children who need a more appropriate environment.  We do stand in the gap for men and women with treatment challenges and help them navigate their way to safety and security.  We stand in the gap and provide support during times of crisis, chaos, and change.

My prayer this week is for God to examine our work and say, “Well done, good and faithful servants.”  We at CityLinC are united in our cause, standing in the gap, ready to do His work and pull people to safety.  This is CityLinC.  It’s what we do.   

-Pastor Mike Howard