Read: Ephesians 4:1-16
[God] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (v. 11, 14)
Despite being a weak swimmer, I enjoy swimming long distances. Usually, I swim laps in the calm waters of a pool. On vacation, I swam the length of a cove. The waves from boats and jet skis didn’t bother me until I got close to the entrance to the main lake. When the waves did come, I learned it worked best to stop swimming and float, relying on my swim vest to hold me up.
The apostle Paul wrote about the waves that toss Christians back and forth. He was not referring to waves made of water, but the waves of false teachings. The goal of these teachings is to try to sink us spiritually. To keep from being tossed back and forth by these waves, we need to remember the basics—that Jesus loves us and came to this earth to forgive us. After he arose, he went back to heaven and is waiting for all who believe in him.
When I was being tossed by the waves I was grateful that I had my swim vest around me. I knew I could rely on it to keep me from sinking. Do you have people around you to keep you afloat and swimming toward Jesus? —Steven Laman
As you pray, thank Jesus for giving you other Christians to point you in the right direction.
About the Author
Steven Laman is a writer and public speaker who has lived with cerebral palsy since his birth in 1970. Steven is a prolific devotional writer for Words of Hope, and the author of three books: My Journey God’s Grace, Strength in Weakness and My Grace Is Sufficient. He also volunteers as a teacher’s aide. He lives with his parents in Iowa.
