the wave

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In October, the Bishop of Costa Rica joined our clergy conference at Camp Capers. He was inspiring, and the story of transformation he shared of their journey from maintaining an established (struggling) church to becoming a healthy church living as a missional community was inspiring.
Photos from Marine Dream

One of the metaphors he used for participating in the work of the Holy Spirit was surfing--a symbol they certainly have in abundance in Costa Rica. The Holy Spirit is like a wave, and is as abundant as waves on the ocean, and is as accessible. They are present to us if we but paddle out and catch them--as the Holy Spirit is accessible to us, if we would only rely on it to guide us.

In recent months, my wife, Laura has been bitten by the surf bug. She surfs as often as possible, and if there are no waves, she is likely to go paddle around our local pier for practice. I've witnessed changes in her; in her attitude toward life, and even a reorientation around what is most important in this precious life we live.

Photos from Marine Dream
The day Laura "got it," she was out surfing with our friend Kerrie who was teaching her. She didn't expect what came with that one wave that changed how she experienced surfing and life. Suddenly she got a glimpse of what surfing was all about: the thrill and purity of riding a wave.

What a great metaphor for what happens to us when we encounter the Holy Spirit. Our perceptions change; we see the world differently; we see the mission and purpose set before us. Keeping things as they are, seeking to maintain what currently exists feels as hollow as it truly is. The gift of life, the gift of the goodness of God is tangible and worth sharing with others. We become transformed people, we become renewed.

We can control waves no more than we can control the Holy Spirit. There's no button that we can turn on (or off) at our own will, which is part of the point. The power of the waves is in the ocean, and the power of the Holy Spirit is God's, not ours. However, it is much more likely that we will catch a wave if we paddle out--and it sure helps to have a good teacher.

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