Lessons from Lava Falls

 

Like those river runners who have documented stories and details of Lava Falls for the past 150 years, Scripture provides us guidance through life’s most challenging waters.

There’s a moment of pure anticipation that every Grand Canyon rafter knows—when the distant roar of Lava Falls first reaches your ears. Mile 179 on the Colorado River holds what some consider the ultimate test of courage and skill in North American whitewater rafting. Once called Vulcan, due to the black basalt rocks born from the fires of the earth that help form it, this fastest navigable rapid in North America features a thunderous cascade that drops 37 feet in about 100 yards, creating massive waves and hydraulics that demand respect. The rapid’s reputation precedes it—stories passed down through generations of river runners, each adding to its mystique. Some say you can feel the rapid’s presence before you hear it, as if the canyon itself holds its breath in anticipation.

In 2023, we faced Lava Falls in conditions that would be forever etched in our memories. The Bureau of Reclamation had initiated an “experimental high flow release,” sending 40,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water thundering through the Grand Canyon—two to three times the volume most rafters encounter and far more than what you see in the picture above. Standing on the scout rock that day just upstream from Lava Falls, our guide team studied the raging rapid longer than usual. The familiar face of this feature we’d run dozens of times before had now twisted and morphed into something entirely different. The waves were higher, the holes deeper, and the consequences more severe. The legendary Big Kahuna wave had transformed into a monster, and the right-side hydraulics we were so familiar with now looked hungry enough to shred the boat on the “cheese grater” and then swallow us whole.

None of us had ever seen Lava Falls quite like this. But this is something our seasoned river guides prepare for. Actively reading the water is crucial for being a good boatman. The river might change, but the fundamental principles learned during training and in studying our written river guides remain true. Even in unprecedented conditions, these documented lines and techniques serve as our compass through chaos.

After careful study of the rapid, we finally saw it—the line through the frothy boil, a path through the seemingly impossible. The entry point would be crucial, as a few feet to either side could spell trouble. After deliberation and deciding on the best course of action, we walked back to the boats in solemn silence, steeling our resolve. When we finally pushed off from the scout rock just upstream from the rapid, we knew there would be no turning back. The approach was committed and decisive. You can’t inch your way through Lava Falls—especially not at 40,000 cfs.

As we approached the horizon line, where the river seemed to disappear, the monster’s roar grew louder. Jets of spray shot high into the air from water plummeting into the abyss, and every muscle tensed as we drove confidently into the unknown. Time seemed to slow down in those crucial moments, each wave and hydraulic testing our resolve to stay the course. And then, almost suddenly, we were through. The roar faded behind us, replaced by cheers and high-fives. The sun seemed brighter, and the canyon walls more magnificent. We had faced our giant and emerged stronger, not just because of our own abilities, but because we trusted our training and the documented wisdom of those who’d gone before us.

Life’s challenges often mirror these intense rapids, and just as river guides rely on their guidebooks in learning the rapids, we’ve been given the ultimate guidebook—God’s Word. Like those river runners who have documented stories and details of Lava Falls for the past 150 years, Scripture provides us guidance through life’s most challenging waters. When the rapids of life surge at unprecedented levels, the Bible remains our unchanging reference point, offering not just encouragement, but charting our course through life’s turbulent waters.

Moses faced his Red Sea, David stood before his Goliath, Daniel entered his lions’ den. Their experiences, recorded in the ultimate guidebook to life, serve as crucial waypoints for our own journey. These aren’t just stories—they are carefully documented testimonies of God’s faithfulness in the midst of seemingly impossible situations. As Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

When life sends us our own “Lava Falls moments,” we can turn to this divine guidebook for our course correction. Just as generations of river guides have mapped the way through the Grand Canyon along the Colorado River, God’s people have documented His faithfulness throughout history. The Bible is a guide through life’s most challenging rapids, complete with entry points, hazards to avoid, and promises to cling to.

In times of unprecedented challenges, when the waters rise beyond anything we’ve experienced before, we can trust in this timeless guide, finding comfort in knowing that others have successfully navigated similar waters before us.

So, what’s your Lava Falls? What challenge looms ahead, sending its distant roar your way? Remember, just as every rapid has a path through it—even at unprecedented levels—every challenge of life has guidance waiting in Scripture. When the waters rise and the path seems unclear, turn to your guidebook and the One who wrote it. The Author who commands the waters has already charted your course through them, and as the ultimate Guide, His wisdom never fails.

Watch the video I recorded running Lava Falls at 40,000 cfs!