VL - Issue 15 - February 2015

It’s a Jungle Out There
by Linda Cubbedge
It’s a jungle out
there. Yes, sometimes
as we go through
life, that’s exactly how
it seems. Life can be so
full of disorder and chaos,
that it’s hard to imagine
there’s anyone in control,
much less anyone who
cares.
Well, friend, let me
assure you that there
is Someone who is in
control; Someone who
cares about everything
in your life––and His
name is Jesus. Jesus is
ready to bring order to
your disorder and sense
to your confusion. He
is ready to lead you
through the jungle and
into a place of peace,
power, and provision.
I heard a story of a man who was deep in the
jungle on an African safari. The guide had a machete
and was whacking away at the tall weeds and thick
underbrush. The traveler, weary and hot, asked in
frustration, “Where are we? Do you even know
where you’re taking us? Do you even know where
the path is located?”
The seasoned guide stopped, looked back at the
man, and replied, “I am the path.”
This was the guide’s way of saying, “Stay close to
me. I know the way, and I am creating a path for you
through this jungle.” In the Bible, Jesus Christ boldly
proclaims a similar thing when He says: “I am the
Way” (John 14:6).
So many times like this traveler, we feel as though
we’re trapped in a jungle. We’re desperate to find a
path—any path—just some way out of our current
situation.
“I am the Way,” Jesus reminds us. “Stay close
to Me and focus on Me; I will lead you through
whatever jungle you are in.”
None of us knows what tomorrow holds. But you
know what? That’s okay. We don’t need to know all
the answers when we’re close to our Guide. We only
need to follow Him and stay focused on Him. As we
do, He will whack away at the thick underbrush that
has entangled our feet and strangled our hope and
vision. With each step in His presence, we will find
ourselves in a place of peace and rest—even while
we are still in the jungle. We will find clarity of mind
and direction and protection, too.
We have an enemy whose main goal, on a daily
basis, is to destroy us. His name is Satan, and he is
real. He lurks like a jungle beast, waiting to attack
our bodies and our minds. He does everything in
his power to rob us of hope. But Jesus, the Prince
of Peace, knows very well the tactics of Satan, the
Prince of Darkness. When we stay close to Jesus,
Satan is unable to destroy us.
Throughout history, many have fallen prey
to Satan’s tactics and have given up on life.
Even Christians—children of God, people worth
everything to Him, people who actually have God
living on the inside of them—have lost hope. How?
Because they lost sight of their Guide and allowed
the uncertainty of their jungle to overtake them.
Satan uses our circumstances to convince us
there is no way out, and therefore, we have no hope.
He tempts us to question God’s love and convinces
us to find our own way. Satan doesn’t want us to
follow Jesus. He wants us to wander around the
jungle, overwhelmed, lost, confused, angry, and
completely hopeless.
Do any of these words describe you? Have you
lost your way? Have your circumstances blocked
your view of the One who can lead you through?
Has life become one big routine? Then come to the
Way. Come to the One who is able to lift you up and
move you forward to victory. V
Linda Cubbedge is the director of
KOJM’s Prison Correspondence
Outreach. She is passionate about the
Lord and leading others to Him. Linda
has four children, nine grandchildren,
and one great grandson.
continued from page 24
Finally, there are those who are ready to risk it
all. They desire all of God and are willing to go deep
so they can go big with Him…no matter what the
cost. Being comfortable or in control is no longer
on their priority list. They don’t care anymore how
they might look or whether they might fall. Their
only concern is being in the midst of the power of
God so they can experience everything He has to
offer them.
It’s less crowded out there. Moving out into
the deep takes more risk and trust than many are
willing to give.
Being involved with In His Wakes water sports
ministry has given me many opportunities to go
deep and big with God. Since my very first event
in 2007, God has extended many invitations for me
to trust Him and move beyond my comfort zone so
that I can experience the power of His Holy Spirit
working in me, through me, and around me.
On many occasions, I have accepted God’s
invitation and moved away from the safety of
the shore. In that place of total trust, I have been
swept away by His power and overwhelmed by His
grace. I’ve ridden waves of glory I never dreamed
of. Nothing compares, not even surfing that massive
wave.
Yet there have been times when I played it safe.
I look back now with disappointment, knowing that
my decision to stay on the shore brought with it a
cost. How much of God did I miss out on because I
was unwilling to move out into the unknown? How
did my decision affect others?
God is calling us out into the deep. He beckons us
to come. Will we accept His call?
We don’t have to be afraid of the deep. God’s
Holy Spirit is there, ready to empower, teach, guide,
and equip us with all we need. The Lord will never
leave us helpless, defenseless, or unprepared. He
has already given us all that we need. The question
is, how much do we want? V
www.inhiswakes.com
26 www.kojministries.org