Gregory T. Jacobs
 
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When I was a junior at Asbury College, I was sucked in by a boring evening.  I got this bright idea to load 6 guys up in my Jeep Wrangler, and go down to the Dix Dam on the Kentucky River.  For those of you that don't know where this is, it is just below High Bridge outside of Wilmore.  Now I can't recall if the stupid idea was established before we packed ourselves like sardines in that Jeep, or when we arrived, either way it happened.  We were full of adrenaline and had a point to prove.  Nothing could hold us back. 

When we got down to the dam, we jumped into the water.  Not the smartest thing to do with the currents, not to mention the unknown depth of the water.  We didn't care, we were bound and determined that we were going to swim across the Kentucky River.  Of course, since it was just woods on the other side, we had no plan for getting back.  Halfway across, we started to become weary.  From the shore looking out, it sure didn't look that far across.  All of a sudden our trip was halted.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a speed boat coming towards us at full speed ahead.  We panicked and turned back to where we had come from.  Just as we didn't realize how far it was across, we also could not estimate how far the speed boat was from us. 

The question that I have asked myself for the last 15 years is, "Why in the world did I turn back?  We were halfway across the river, and could have just as easily pushed forward."  I now know the answer, but it didn't dawn on me then.  When in times of crisis, instinctively we turn back to our comfort zone.  I knew the path that it took to get me to the middle of the river, I didn't know the other half of the river.  I knew that I had transportation on the previous shore, I had none on the following shore.  I know that it sounds corny, but I regret not swimming all the way across the river that day.  I also found it interesting that whomever started the dissent backwards, every other guy followed him.

Life is full of crises and times of the unknown.  The question is whether or not you are going to retreat at the first sign of trouble.  Ephesians 6 says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, so that means that we are in a Spiritual War daily.  In the 80's Twila Paris had a song entitled, "The Warrior is a Child."  How many of us feel like a child in battle at times?  It is easy to take that first leap into the water when everything seems to be going well, but easier yet to retreat at the first sign of defeat.  Jesus says in Luke 9:62 "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

We should never live in regret, but should always move forward.  We should have a sign engraved on our forehead that says, "Retreat is not an Option."  Although it was probably stupid to begin with, one day I am bound and determined that I am going to swim across that river and back...
 


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