When I left after 6am, it wasn't that difficult to set out. I had to carry the kayak over a few rocks but it wasn't that difficult. It was certainly manageable anyway. While I was admiring the birds and kayaking around the bays, however, something happened: the tide went out. The tide went way out. I have been kayaking in this area a number of times over the years and I have never seen the tide that far out before. I paddled around the corner from where I launched in order to land and I noticed that the beach had grown by quite a distance which meant that I had a long way to carry my kayak before I could put it away.
Kayaks are relatively light and light and I am not that heavy so I was able to paddle quite a way into the shallow water but when I had paddled as far as I could paddle there was still a long way that I needed to take my kayak.
I hopped out of the boat and immediately that wet sand ate both of my shoes. I pried them from the sand and put them in the boat. I then, barefoot, dragged the kayak as far as I could in the soft mud before I hit the rocks that I would need to lift the boat over. I tried to continue walking barefoot over the rocks: they were too sharp. I put on my muddy soggy footwear. They did not want to stay on my feet but, nonetheless, I managed to get my kayak to where it needed to go. I was more exhausted from 10-15 minutes of putting the boat away than I was from 3 hours of paddling.
This reminds me of Barak and the Exodus. God and Deborah instructed Barak to save the Israelites. Barak declined unless a certain condition of his was met. Because Barak declined the Lord's offer as it was, the Lord gave the glory to another. He still saved Israel. He still used Barak but he gave the glory to another.
In the book of Exodus the generation that the Lord led out of Egypt refused the opportunity God gave them to enter the Promised Land, as a result almost none of that generation entered the Promised Land. God still did what he said he was going to do: bring the people into the Promised Land, it is just that because the first generation refused to follow him there, it was a lot more difficult.
It is the same with us. God is sovereign. His will will be done, it is just a matter of whether we will be a part of it or not. If we listen to God and follow his lead, it is like having the sense to read the tide charts before you set out in your kayak. You get where you are going a lot nicer and easier than if you don't and the tide goes out well you are away. So let us resolve to seek and follow the Lord in all that we do today.
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