A friend of mine recalled a story when the family went white water river rafting.
“My Daughter Eden was about 10 and our river guide said she could sit on the front of the raft with her feet dangling over. The river was calm so I did not worry, but just as I felt comfortable with her on the front of the raft we hit a little rapid. Immediately she went overboard headfirst into the river. I, being a super dad jumped in splashing around trying to swim with a life jacket on to get to Eden. Our guide did not panic but calmly yelled to Eden “just lean back and let your legs float to the top of the water.” No one seemed to bother about my safety but Eden listened and started floating downstream. She rode several rapids safely with her life jacket on enjoying every minute. She was having so much fun we had a hard time convincing her to get back into the raft. She kept jumping overboard to ride the rapids, “free-styling” as she called it.”
Jesus said, “Unless you become as this child, you certainly can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Eden had no fear of the rapids once she learned how to manage her buoyancy. She took full advantage of the new tool given to her and had the time of her life. Maybe we can take a lesson from Eden; We all could take an example of Eden’s adventure, and have wild-eyed fearless expectation of adventures ahead without a moment’s thought, because Jesus is in comtrol. He has our best interests at heart, and the only true way is to surrender to the river. Jump in, lean back, don’t drag your feet but let the current of God take you in the journey of Holiness, “free-styling.”