“Row Like Your Life Depends On It!”

“Row Like Your Life Depends On It!”

By Steve Backlund

“Row like your life depends on it!” Our raft guide yelled these words to the six of us who were in a raft headed into treacherous river rapids. It felt like how God speaks to me when He is leading me into times of risk and spiritual adventure. 

God has wired us to love risk and adventure. (Teenage boys especially tend to create stress for their moms by what they do. Let’s just laugh at that!) If we always play it safe, we will miss out on much of the abundant life God has purposed for us. My experience in white water rafting speaks to me about this. Here are some of the instructions we received before embarking down the river. They all have a spiritual application.

1. Put on a life preserver before starting - It is wisdom to anticipate potential challenges in life and prepare. Certainly, we can go to an extreme in this, but it is not a lack of faith to have insurance, do pre-marital counseling, have life-giving accountability relationships, etc. “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished” (Proverbs 27:12). “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Luke 14:28).

2. Prepare to get wet and cold - The river would be uncomfortably cold. In our spiritual journey, we will be led to stop prioritizing comfort and take risks to experience life at its fullest. We will be like Annanias, who has his name in the Bible because he was willing to overcome his fear and go minister to the recently converted Saul. “‘So the Lord said to him (Annanias), ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying’  . . . . ‘’Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem’” (Acts 9:11-13).

3. Listen to your guide - The raft had six rowers and a guide sitting in the back. He was experienced in white water rafting and understood the river. He taught us, directed us, and inspired us. It would have been foolish for us to kick him off the boat, and say, “We can do this alone.” What an example of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. “The Lord is my shepherd . . . He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters . . . He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

4. Take advantage of calm water - The Trinity River has many areas with tricky rapids to navigate, but it also has places where the river is calm. The guide uses these times of rest to remind us of important things, prepare us for what is ahead, and to help us deepen our connection with him and one another. In life, we have times and seasons where we have calm and rest where we can refresh and connect deeper with God and people. It could be a day-off, a vacation, a time of lesser stress and responsibilities, or a time of fasting and prayer that provide these opportunities. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-20).

5. Sit on the edge of the raft - One of the surprising statements the guide said was, “It is safer on the edge of the raft than it is closer to its center.” This seems counterintuitive, but it supports this life truth: Those who always play it safe and are focused primarily on preventing negative things from happening (instead of pursuing dreams) will tend to suffer more harm in life through depression, fear, worry and disappointing relationships. “‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus” (Matthew 14:28-29).

6. Row in unison - In order for the boat to move forward smoothly and to end up where we needed to be, we were to row our oars in unison. The guide would tell when to row. If we were not in unity, we would most likely go in circles or end up in hazardous situations. For us to be successful in our families and organizations, we need unity in purpose, core values, and decisions. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! . . . For there the Lord commanded the blessing — life forevermore” (Psalms 133:1,3).

7. Row harder in treacherous water - “Row like your life depends on it!” As I passionately focused on his instructions, my fear subsided. This is an important life lesson. When life’s waters are turbulent or we are taking a big risk, this is the time to fervently declare our most important beliefs, to keep moving forward in what we believe we are to do, and to relentlessly keep our connection to Jesus. “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

Many of you feel right now like you are in a white water raft. It feels like things are out of your control, and you do not know what the river is like around the next turn. You are not alone in this experience. Your favorite biblical characters experienced this; as are multitudes of people today. God will be faithful to you in this time, and these seven truths will help sustain you and grow you into a leader like never before. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2)