Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 3:2-3 

Whitewater rafting is definitely a team sport. 

Three years ago I had my first experience whitewater rafting. It’s not that I’m adverse to extreme sports or anything. I enjoy a challenge as much as the next guy and have done some dangerous stuff in my day, just never rafting. 

A group of us did an overnight camping and whitewater rafting trip on the New River in West Virginia to celebrate our son’s graduating from elementary school into middle school. It became a kind of ‘right of passage’ trip. Lance and Jake Utne, Matt & Ryne Caudle and Josh and I made up the group along with our guide. 

After we watched the 20 minute instructional video, signed the release form and got fitted for our safety equipment we traveled on a bus for 20 minutes to get to the head of the rapids section of the river. As we drifted down towards the first set of rapids our guide spoke in clipped intense phrases. 
“When I say ‘pull’ you row with all of your strength and don’t stop until I say so. It’s my job to steer, it’s your job to row. If you don’t pull together we’ll flip over. Got it?” 

The deafening roar of class 3-5 rapids and the rushing cascades of water brought great clarity to my thoughts. What he said made perfect sense! ROW, ROW, ROW! 

At one point in our downstream journey our guide instructed us to turn the raft upstream and row back towards the rushing water. If we could fight our way up to the very edge of the rapids there would be a point where our raft would “surf” in place with very little effort from us while the water rushed past (and over) us. It took us several tries and every ounce of strength to do it, but it was an exhilarating sensation to surf the wave while millions of gallons of angry water rushed past us. 

Yup, whitewater rafting is definitely a team sport. Without everyone working together, the trip would have not only been unsafe, but impossible. The rapids would have thrown us around like a dog shakes a rag doll. 

Life is similarly fraught with dangers and challenge. Working together is the only way we can successfully navigate the treacherous rocks and rushing water that would discourage, ensnare and ultimately destroy us. 

We need to ‘pull’ together. I think that is why Scripture says “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” The enemy knows if he can divide us the battle is done. We can be picked off and devoured one by one. After all, our enemy is “a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8)” and he is on the prowl for families and churches that he can destroy. 

So since we are all in the same raft anyway, let’s row together. 

Ephesians 3:2-3 
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  

After we watched the 20 minute instructional video, signed the release form and got fitted for our safety equipment we traveled on a bus for 20 minutes to get to the head of the rapids section of the river. As we drifted down towards the first set of rapids our guide spoke in clipped intense phrases. 
“When I say ‘pull’ you row with all of your strength and don’t stop until I say so. It’s my job to steer, it’s your job to row. If you don’t pull together we’ll flip over. Got it?” 

The deafening roar of class 3-5 rapids and the rushing cascades of water brought great clarity to my thoughts. What he said made perfect sense! ROW, ROW, ROW! 

At one point in our downstream journey our guide instructed us to turn the raft upstream and row back towards the rushing water. If we could fight our way up to the very edge of the rapids there would be a point where our raft would “surf” in place with very little effort from us while the water rushed past (and over) us. It took us several tries and every ounce of strength to do it, but it was an exhilarating sensation to surf the wave while millions of gallons of angry water rushed past us. 

Yup, whitewater rafting is definitely a team sport. Without everyone working together, the trip would have not only been unsafe, but impossible. The rapids would have thrown us around like a dog shakes a rag doll. 

Life is similarly fraught with dangers and challenge. Working together is the only way we can successfully navigate the treacherous rocks and rushing water that would discourage, ensnare and ultimately destroy us. 

We need to ‘pull’ together. I think that is why Scripture says “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” The enemy knows if he can divide us the battle is done. We can be picked off and devoured one by one. After all, our enemy is “a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8)” and he is on the prowl for families and churches that he can destroy. 

So since we are all in the same raft anyway, let’s row together.