Where Is Your Escape?

Have you ever paddled out carrying a burden of anger, frustration, regret, guilt, or shame? I hate to admit it, but looking back on my history with surfing, there have been far too many times when I was going through something heavy and needed an escape. All I wanted to do was grab my board and beeline it to the sea. Surfers are drawn to the ocean because it’s mysterious, deep, untamed, raw, and remote. When you hop on a board and paddle out things start to fall off—time seems to vanish, the water sobers you up, the skyline takes you away into great awe and wonder, and you find yourself getting caught up in an uninterrupted moment of deep stillness. This is why I’m drawn to bringing my burdens to the ocean. I’m tricked into thinking that my burdens will get consumed by the deep blue sea. In reality, though, they don’t.

Surfers aren’t the only ones who have made the ocean their escape, the Apostle Peter did too (John 21). In the gospels, we are told that after Peter denied Jesus three times, he quickly returned to what he thought would consume his regret, shame, and guilt—the Sea of Galilee. But instead of grabbing a surfboard, Peter took out a boat and fishing gear. Imagine what Peter was going through… he denied Jesus three times. Immediately after the betrayal, Jesus was put to death on a cross, buried, rose from the dead, and appeared to the eleven apostles. After all these traumatic events, Peter beelined it to the sea. Peter was likely wading through the unaddressed shame, guilt, and regret he had in his heart from turning His back on Jesus and thought maybe the ocean would help. But then, as the scene in John 21:1–14 describes, Jesus showed up and was waiting for Peter right there on the beach. Once Peter realized that Jesus was there on the beach, he dove headfirst into the sea and beelined it to Jesus. Peter immediately received from Jesus everything he needed—a fire to warm him up, fish to fill his belly, and forgiveness to set him free. Here’s the point: The power of the ocean will never be able to consume our burdens, but the power of Jesus always will.

For each of us, Jesus is there waiting for us on the beach. Next time you paddle out, look back toward the beach and remind yourself that Jesus is there on the beach and has everything you need. Instead of beelining it to the sea when you are working through a difficult moment or situation, beeline it to Jesus. His grace alone has the power to warm us, fill us, and free us. Beeline it to Jesus.

Image by: Solveig Jobbins