Living Water by Matt Beacham
God gave me some training for an event and I didn’t even know it. A month ago on “Big Wednesday”, I was surfing Old Station in my hometown of Kitty Hawk, NC, and there was a stand-up-paddle (SUP) surfer who’s leash had broken. He was in a massive rip current and it was sucking him into this right hand wave that had a vicious current. I went and found his board and paddled it out. I got denied by the waves the first try but made it out on the second.
He was flanked by his friend named Andy who said he was getting very tired. We both got on the SUP board together and made our way through the impact zone and finally to shore. His girlfriend gave me a hug of relief on the beach and they were super stoked to be on the sand. I felt I was right where I needed to be, and I also thought the story was over.
Fast forward one month to last Saturday. The waves were comparable to Big Wednesday and I’m at Old Station again. Suddenly, far away I hear a loud cry for help, and this was the kind of yell that means someone is in desperate need. By the time I found the swimmer he was flanked by three SUPers, and one of them was Andy again. This swimmer was a larger man and was now holding onto a board. I asked him how much he weighed. He said 250 and I said I’m 230 and then Andy said, “Hey, I have the biggest SUP here, you guys use mine.” So I gave Andy my shortboard and the swimmer and I, all 480 pounds of us, got on the SUP and we paddled through the impact zone and eventually made it safely to the beach. We were greeted by five lifeguards on the sand and they began asking him medical questions.
While I was walking off it hit me how symmetrical both events had been: the same rip current, met and helped by the same SUPer, Andy, and using the same technique both times in heavy surf to get them in. The Bible is full of verses about God’s plan such as Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.” I believe we are all being counseled, or trained, for certain things, and sometimes you don’t even know it till it happens.