Upper Currents

"...They could not strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail" (Isaiah 33:23).

"So in life there are higher and lower currents. Too many of us use only the lower sails, and catch only the winds blowing along earthly levels. It would be an unspeakable gain to us all were we to let our life fall under the influence of these upper currents" (Dr. J.R. Miller).

What a beautiful thought this is! Sometimes we come to a point in life where we can't strengthen our mast or spread our sails. We are torn from our moorings and at loose ends, wind-bound by circumstances. It might be a death in the family, an illness, a great disappointment or a dry spell in our spiritual life.

What are the lower currents in our lives that would make us lose our moorings? Have we jettisoned the jetty, so to speak? When we decide that we are in charge, that we are the master of our fate instead of choosing the Master of our fate, then we have severed the tie that binds us to our precious Father. We have chosen (and it is our choice, let us never forget that) the lower currents of life that carry us on a not-so-merry way of a worldly life.

What are our moorings? First, there is God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In our eagerness to rid our lives and country of any accountability, the first Person we get rid of is our Judge. In so doing, we rid ourselves of our Keystone, our Rock of Ages. We are like children who fire our parents. I recall years ago one of our almighty pundits writing that anyone who viewed God as Father was a tad mad. Well, Jesus was accused of that, too, so those of us who view God as Father are in impressive company. Other moorings are our family, teachers, friends, good books and good music, etc.

What are our upper currents? That which inspires us to reach beyond ourselves to heights where we see our Father and our brothers and sisters!