This Seat is Taken!
We had a fair amount of heat on my last river trip. In fact, it was down right hot. Finding shade on river right, just below Kanab Creek, was cause for much jubilation and raucous applause as we beached the boats to camp for the night. The camp was spacious and open to provide a good breeze and it set us up nicely for our playtime at Havasu Creek the next day. We enjoyed our conversation and Dr. Danny Faulkner of Answers in Genesis provided great views of the night sky through his telescope.
The next morning we broke camp and made our way down to Havasu. The parking in Havasu is cause for careful instruction and super fun for the swamper. A swamper is the attendant to the boatman and is responsible for securing the raft to shore and then shoving off again when it is time to depart (among other things). Pulling into Havasu requires parking the rafts in the middle of a small rapid (some may call it a strong riffle). As such, the passengers are given careful instructions to stay on the rafts and keep their life jackets on until the rafts are fully secured to the Muav Limestone. The rafts bob and weave as the boatman use the motors to keep the raft pinned to the canyon walls allowing time for the swampers to do their job. For the swampers, it’s GO time! Tying the rafts requires quick work and scrambling canyon walls to secure the proper ropes in the proper places. The rapids require each raft to have numerous ropes attached in opposing directions. Tyler was sitting on go on the other raft and I was ready on mine. We pulled into the pocket on river left and set ourselves to the task at hand. We jumped, we climbed, we pulled, and we tied until all was finished. Once the rafts were secure, we clambered onboard and assisted the passengers off the rafts. We were a well-oiled machine safely escorting the adventurers of Grand Canyon to shore. The passengers certainly did their job well. They waited patiently and did everything they were instructed to do. That made our job easier and made the process quick and easy.
Many of the guests who participate in a river trip are used to making many important decisions in their everyday lives. This can sometimes make it difficult to be the one allowing others to make decisions for them and simply follow directions. Yet, while running the Colorado River through Grand Canyon this is rarely a problem. People are quick to listen and obey because they recognize they are out of their element and they give us the seat of authority in their lives. They recognize in places like Havasu, it is important to listen only to the voices of wisdom and experience. This exercise in authority is quite poignant when one takes the time to consider its implications. Those who lack the understanding of the power of the river and the necessary steps of parking in Havasu could attempt to do it on their own and in their own way. However, it would probably lead to great trouble and possibly even death. What is needed for safety and full enjoyment is submission to the proper authority. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Webster defines “authority” as:
- the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.
So who has the right to control, command, or determine in your life? If it is you, your end is death. If it is God’s word, your end is life. There are many voices in the world vying for the seat of authority in your life. It may be career advancement, personal achievement, praise of man, physical struggles (disease, injury, etc.), certain people, or many others. As these voices fight for our attention we need to be responding to them with the simple, yet powerful, response of, “This seat is taken!” The only safe and abundant way to navigate the river of life is in submission to God as the sovereign authority.
The origins (interpretation of Genesis, creation/evolution, age of the earth) discussion is really an issue of authority. All authority in heaven and on earth resides in Christ. By the authority granted Him by His Father, he healed the lame and sick, commanded the weather, cast out demons, defeated sin and death, and now GIVES US LIFE! Let the world know when it comes to authority, “THIS SEAT IS TAKEN!
Praiseallujiah!
Jon
