By
Dana Rausch
/ January 21, 2014
Withered or Weathered
Last summer my husband and I drove our boat down to have dinner at the Havasu Springs Restaurant located at the south end of the lake. As we entered the marina it narrowed down considerably so we slowed to a no wake speed. Glancing around at the docked boats, I observed one located in the outer marina sitting alone.
The lonely boat had been neglected for years. As well as being damaged by the weather it was literally falling apart. It was a battered mess.
All of the seats and interior were in shreds. The wood platform on the back end of the boat was sloped and splintered. The buoys on the sides of the slip were tattered and the Styrofoam insides exposed. The paint was chipped and dated. Windshields had water deposits and stained from the elements. It was in sad shape.
We both wondered how long it had been ignored.
It was unthinkable to my husband who is faithful to wash AND WAX our boat the minute we get off the water. I admit that it’s nice to have a boat that still looks like the day it came off of the showroom floor. Yet it is because he always and I need to repeat: ALWAYS wipes it down and waxes it on every occasion that the boat is used.
Why? Because he values it, he enjoys it, and he desires that it last.
So what happened to the boat in the marina?
· Where is that boat owner?
· When did he stop caring?
· Why the neglect?
· How did he get to this point?
I see a similarity of the two boats in the lives of my Christian brothers and sisters. Some of us are in beautiful shape as we maintain our walk and talk. But others of us are withered or weathered.
Withered means “to shrivel; fade; decay: to lose the freshness of youth, as from age; to make shrunken, or dry, as from loss of moisture; cause to lose freshness, to affect harmfully” Weathered is similar in that it means, “Seasoned or otherwise affected by exposure to the weather. (of wood) artificially treated to seem discolored or stained by the action of air, rain, etc. (of rocks) worn, disintegrated, or changed in color or composition by weathering.”
We have let things go, and in such a short amount of time we find ourselves torn and splintered. The elements of the world have permeated our thoughts and lives.
So what do we do if we find ourselves withered on the inside or weathered on the outside?
1. Come back to our first love.
2. Pour out hurt, anger, disappointment or failure to Him. 1 Peter 5:7
3. Every day take one step to restore your walk.
4. Take action.
· Do you need to replace something? · Sand off rough edges?
· Put on a coat of wax to fight off the elements?
· Make Jesus a priority?
· Ask Him what YOU need to do, he’ll tell you.
5. Love Him with everything you’ve got! Isaiah 61:10