When I began my contemplative prayer walks, my goal was to walk and take pictures of whatever caught my eye. I have a lot of photos of flowers, cactus, and clouds. Some of my favorite photos are of things people leave behind. Toys, confetti, empty bottles, and the like. But today? Today’s treasure made me stop walking, take a picture, and send it to our family chat on Messenger. Swim fins, a mask, and a snorkel. I’ve seen people roller blade, skateboard, and ride bikes down in the arroyo. This makes me wonder what all goes on down there when it rains.
Warnings
I’ve photographed birds enjoying the rainwater while it lasts. But, because of how fast the water can move, there are always warnings against people swimming in the arroyos when it rains. When I saw swim fins, a mask, and a snorkel, I simply couldn’t understand why anyone would take that kind of risk. What warnings do we take seriously and which ones do we ignore? Ignoring warning signals in life can have dire consequences. But ignoring God’s warnings has eternal significance.
We might be able to survive a quick walk in an Arroyo wearing swim fins, a mask, and a snorkel without needing to be rescued by emergency services. But we cannot escape the spiritual consequences of ignoring God’s warnings.
Jesus told us to
Watch out that you are not deceived. Luke 21:8 CSB
It’s important that we take the words of Christ to heart. It’s easy to be persuaded by videos on TikTok or YouTube. We may not notice how far we have veered from God’s word until we see what we’ve left behind on the trail. This month will be the seventh time I will read the book of Luke this year. Each go round something catches my attention much like seeing the swim fins, a mask, and a snorkel on my walk today.
Be Certain of the Truth
Luke tells us that he’s carefully investigated everything so that we
can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. Luke 1:4 NLT
Let’s take the time to focus on the Words of Christ. May we aim to go deeper and deeper. And may we take His warnings seriously, avoid deception, and be certain of the truth in every lesson He teaches.