This past week, we had the wonderful opportunity to enjoy the Oregon coast. It was a beautiful sight, although, in typical Pacific Northwest fashion, the weather was less than ideal. That didn’t detract from the beauty or experience of the coast, but it was wet and cold. With ominous clouds, crashing waves, dense vegetation, and miles of rugged shoreline, it is no wonder why people love to visit that area of the world.
For the most part, our boys enjoyed dipping their toes in the chilly waters of the Pacific. But if you weren’t careful, a wave would sneak up on you and engulf you in frigid waters. Once you were soaked, you became immediately aware of just how cold it was around us, with the wind and waves biting with every passing second. You were miserable until you went inside and dried off, putting on new clothes.
One day, we saw some surfers enjoying those same frigid waters. But how? Those same waters chilled me to the bone. There is no way that a person could enjoy themselves in that ice water. However, they had a secret… wetsuits. These ingenious suits allow someone to enter into the water, which would be intolerable for others. Wetsuits work by trapping a small layer of water between the wearer and suit, providing insulation from the icy liquid outside, and supplying warmth and peace from the elements.
It is a wonderful allusion to our relationship with Christ. Those who walk in Christ are afforded a layer of protection from the frigid world around them. They are not accosted by the icy waters of indifference and apathy in the world. They enjoy the warmth of knowing that they matter immeasurably to an infinite God (John 3:16). They experience a peace that passes understanding and guards their hearts (Philippians 4:7). Abiding in this barrier keeps the breaking waters at bay and cleanses us continually (1 John 1:7).
Some people try to brave the chilling waters alone, and some are adept at enduring the punishment that those waters deliver. But eventually, the crashing waves and frigid temps would overcome even the heartiest soul. There is only one solution, and that is put on Christ. The Bible is clear as Paul writes to the church in Galatia about how they can put on Christ- “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27). This may seem trivial to some, but Christ is the barrier that protects us from the elements that surround us. I know of no other verse that expresses how to put on Christ. The question remains if we will try to tackle this world alone, eventually succumbing to the cold around us, succumbing to hypothermia, and shutting down. Jesus says this is the fate for humanity that our love for each other will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). Or will we fight against the frigid temperatures, enduring to the end, by putting on Christ like a wetsuit?