During my childhood, our family loved to fish and swim. We lived near a creek that was ice cold on the hottest summer day. After hours of working outside, nothing felt better than jumping into that freezing water.

• It took our breath.
• We shivered from the shock.
• Yet, what a wonderful, refreshing way to cool down.

We did most of our fishing from the banks (sides) of the creek. A few friends preferred fishing from boats. Most used motorboats, but some rowed with oars (paddles).

Circumstances sometimes left those boaters up a creek without a paddle.

The creek was narrow in most places. Therefore, they could usually reach the banks, if they dropped a paddle.

However, problems did occur:

• Wide places left them far from the banks.
• High water after a hard rain added to their danger.
• Not all those boaters could swim.
• Hardly anyone owned a life jacket.

Losing a paddle under those circumstances left boaters in trouble. They were up a creek without a paddle.

Life’s like that.

On most occasions we find solutions to our problems, but not always.

• Difficult circumstances arise that we can’t fix on our own.
• We see no way out.

We’re up a creek without a paddle.

How easily we forget that the One with the answers to all life’s hardships remains just a prayer away.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV).

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