Upheld In River Majesty

 I have lived around the Columbia River all my life and never gave it a thought.  Where I live – it’s just the big river that winds through the state, has a bunch of dams on it that allows us power and food. I have always appreciated this river, but my recent trip to it’s mouth really made me notice this river. The power and majesty of God are truly showcased in the Columbia River. It’s tributary system pretty much drains the whole northwest – I forget how many states and Canada. It is known as one of the mightiest rivers of the world. Really? The world!

 

 

 

It seems placid enough, thanks to the dams, until you get to the mouth. The bar at the mouth of the river that collides with the Pacific Ocean is known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.  That’s because it is so violent that ships navigate it only with great turmoil most of the time. I was surprised to learn and observe that the ocean surf breaks on top of the outflowing river as if it were on a beach. Bar pilots come on board to help the captains find the channel through all the changes that the river and ocean swells and swirls under the giant waves. Then the bar pilots are replaced by river pilots help the captains move up the river to change cargoes. If there is a storm – shudder! It’s a vast mouth. The river looks like the ocean.

 

Manmade jetties on the north and south sides point the way to the river channel from the ocean. Before the jetties were in place, many ships sank because the channel shifted and changed, and could not be found before the ships ran into sandbars or rocks. The winds and surfs finished them off.

 

Besides the Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, until recently, a Coast Guard ship was at permanent anchor 5 miles out from the Columbia River mouth. Called a “Light Ship” it acted like a lighthouse to mark the channel  for ships.

 

 

 

How much courage it must have taken to attempt to enter the Columbia River. The great desired Northwest Passage that would ship goods around the world does exist, but is navigated with much respect. Astoria OR is the first port of call once inside the river.

In all the awe of this great natural wonder, I couldn’t help but think how life is just like that turbulent ocean/river meeting. We are forced to seek guides and help as life can be as violent and storm tossed as those waves. Certainly the channel we thought we were navigating constantly changes.

 

We have a Light Ship bobbing in the wind to let us know we are not alone. We have a Lighthouse to warn us that rocks, sands and surfs are near and to proceed with caution. We have a Bar Pilot to show the way. AND we have a River Pilot to guide us through.

 

The Bible is the Word of God. We are not alone. It warns us of dangers and encourages us to keep moving ahead. Jesus shows us the way and He has sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us through.

 

In awesome beauty and terror, we need not fear.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'” John 14:6.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you” Hebrews 13:5.