Mohala Maui (Petals Unfold on Maui)Sample

Mohala Maui 7 (Romans 8:37-39)

Did you ever come face to face with a shark?

Maui is not a good place for that to happen, especially in Makena. But fool that I was, I went out diving alone that day… At the base of a cliff, I came to an underwater cave that seemed promising, so I dove down and stuck my torso into the dark interior; my eyes adjusted to the dark, and sure enough, it was teeming with big eye aweoweo. My spear flew, I wounded a couple, and blood was in the water. Then I saw it. Something was stirring in the cave, something big! Then, a huge form thrashed by in the dark. Immediately, I back-swam away from the cave--and it burst out--a wide head with lots of teeth coming straight at me.

It's hard to describe what actually happened after that because it seems to defy human anatomy—somehow, I rocketed straight out of the water like a dolphin and grabbed onto the cliff, fins and all. My heart way up in my throat, eyes wide, I hung there for a very long time. Finally, my breathing calmed, and I knew there was only one option…to get home, I was going to have to get back into the water… right at the mouth of that cave!

It’s a popular childhood Bible story, Daniel and the Lion's Den, and suddenly, that was my favorite Bible story. Okay, God, you did it back then in Persia or somewhere; now I need the same thing here on Maui. Eventually, terrified as I was, I quietly slipped into the water and calmly (on the outside only) glided back to the sandy shore. The funny thing is, I didn’t look back. Somehow, I felt looking back proved I didn’t believe God had it under control—and if He didn’t, well, that would be really bad luck! Oh man, I wanted to look back…so badly…but by God’s grace, I kept my gaze forward.

I think it’s the same for all of us. If something terrifying, traumatic, or terrible happens, we want to look back and keep checking, just to make sure. It’s like we keep pulling the band-aid and even the scab off a memory. Instead of trusting God, leaving it in His hands, and looking forward, we thrash about (to the delight of sharks) and miss something. We miss experiencing God and His presence.

In the days and months ahead, you have the chance to rehearse or release. God is with you now. He is present. And nothing can separate you from His love. As it says in Romans 8:

“…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Sharks? They are out there. Disasters? Discouragements? Disease? Disability? Divorce? They all happen. But you have something that will never end; you belong to Him, and His love for you is eternal, and the whole cosmos cannot change that.

You have a new beginning; living in Jesus is awesome. It changes everything; being loved by God is your real reality; now, enter into the experience of it! What could be better than that? And living in Maui No Ka Oi is just frosting on the cake.

And never forget the words of that most famous Bible verse that tells us about God’s love and life (local style);

“God get plenny love and aloha fo da peopo inside da world. Dass why He sen His one an ony Boy. Cuz dat, erybody dat trus Him, no goin get cut off from God fovea! Dey goin get da real kine life dat goin stay to da max foeva!

(John 3:16 Da Good An Spesho Book)

Yes, to da max, foeva!

Aloha oe. Thank you for existing.

Dr. Andy

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