Growing up on the Oregon coast, I did a lot of skim-boarding. When the last part of a wave slid over the sand in a thin sheet, I would throw down my board, run as hard as I could, plant both feet on the board, and then skim down the beach for thirty or forty yards. At my most agile, I could jump off as the board slowed down, push the board to some more thin water and then jump on again for another ride.
But several things could go wrong; the same things that often go wrong in our walk with God. First, it is essential to leap on the board with both feet—not just one. When only one foot lands, the board shoots away and you end up planting your head in hard, wet sand. Or even worse, one foot slides away while the other stays planted in the sand, twisting your knees or pulling your groin. Commitment to that initial leap is everything. In the same way, planting both feet firmly on Christ, really making a decision to follow him is essential. Our commitment provides the momentum for “skimming in the spirit”. How hard a skim-boarder runs and how solidly he hits the board determines the distance of the ride.
The cool thing about skimming is that after the jump and landing, the ride is almost effortless. That thin layer of water carries you across the sand beautifully. But if you fail to notice that your ride is slowing, your board will catch the sand and stop abruptly while you fly off. Literally, your board will suck the sand and you will stumble or fall. All the grace and beauty of the ride turns ugly. And wet sand will take off your skin. This sucks spiritually too. Often our commitment to Christ needs to be renewed, our momentum regained. Sloth and inattention can make us stumble or fall. But if we notice our ride slowing, we can take another run, and make another leap. We can keep skimming in the Spirit.
The whole process of throwing the board, running, and then jumping works best when done in one smooth movement. When my boys were first learning to skim-board, they would just drop the board, take a few steps and jump on the board. The board sank and sucked the sand, and in frustration, they slid off. They went nowhere and (at first) decided this skim-boarding thing either didn’t “work” or was “too hard”. Many who have tried to be Christians have had the same experience. With hesitation and uncertainty, they have plopped onto the board and gone nowhere. Their experience sucked just like a grounded skim-board. They too are tempted to conclude that this Christian thing doesn’t work or that it is too hard.
However, skimming in the spirit is dynamic, not static; it is following Jesus wherever he leads, not plopping in a pew. The board must be moving, we must be running, and we must jump and land with both feet. Nothing but total commitment will take us gliding down a beautiful Oregon beach.
