Most of us know the story of Jesus walking on water out to His disciples who were panically rowing in a sweeping storm.

Incredibly, Peter has the audacity to leave the boat and temporarily walks on water!

The other disciples watched while clinging to the hope that their boat would stay afloat.

We see another illustration of boat clinging when Paul is sailing to Rome and his boat is also caught in a storm and actually crashes leaving its passengers desperately swimming to shore.

I have known what it’s like to cling to boats most of my life. Illustratively, boat clinging is when we hold onto anything, or place our hope in anything other than God. When we do this, we are clinging to boats, which ultimately sink. No boat lasts forever. It can’t for its man made. It has a wonderful purpose while its functioning, like getting us places, providing enjoyment, perhaps it’s even a source of income.

However, like a car, a career, our money, or anything else that’s tangible, it eventually fades, rots and/or loses its timeliness.

For everything on earth has an expiration. Problems arise when we forget this reality and attempt to place our hopes, trust, security, and fulfillment in these tangible things.

However, as we know, there is something and Someone that never fades – Jesus. Our faith in Him is secure for He will never sink, wither, wander, or rot. He is the only reliability we have in life.

So, may we be wise enough to realize and identify the boats in our life. Those things that are there to help us make the journey, but never meant to be our source of identity and security. That role belongs to God and when we remember this truth, the resources He sends us can be used with a greater freedom.

For knowing where our true security resides empowers us to leave the false security of our “boats” and experience the freedom of the untethered life offered through Christ.