A few days ago, I went on a whale watching tour. Just one of those afternoon tours. A 3-hour tour for you who may remember “Gilligan’s Island.” Fortunately, the weather did not get rough and it was a beautiful day. What it was was a grand experience!

If you ever get the chance to go see whales in the ocean, take it. You won’t be disappointed. That is my one piece of advice for now. But to the point.

As I rode out in the boat with all the other tour-goers and as we left land behind and land ahead was so far away I thought I do not want anything to happen out here. The water would be cold enough if one fell in but left on your own it would take hours or even days to get anywhere. Your whole hope would be to meet someone out there anywhere. And as you grow tired and weary from constant swimming you would keep hoping. What you don’t want is someone to say, “Hey, I can meet you halfway.” Maybe you’re not even close. Maybe you’re running out of steam. You need a friend to meet you where you are and haul you into his boat. Ok, or her boat.

Friendships seem to start this way. Someone meets you where you are in life’s troubles and says, “I am here.” And as friendships go you end up helping each other out over the long haul. It becomes a kind of 50-50 relationship then. And those work out best. No one gives too much and no one takes too much. Life with friends goes on.

What I am glad of is God does not ever meet us halfway. He doesn’t wait till you have swum far enough. He comes to where you are. He brings His boat to save you. And He will never tire of saving you. God would prefer we stay in the boat but we think we know more and jump overboard again and again. Each time He rescues us. Each time He is there. So in life. God is there to help us into the boat. All we have to do is take His hand.