Getting Stuck in Deep Sand

"Yeah, but I read that it's easy to get stuck in the sand, and that it's really hard to get out..."

I listened in as my wife chatted with one of the local residents, after having second thoughts about her wonderful plan for us to hit the Oceano sand dunes the next day.  She had already paid a sizable deposit to reserve ATV (all-terrain vehicle) rides for the family, but she also read about possible dangers of vehicles getting stuck in the sand, collisions, and rollovers.  We were all ATV novices, and had never driven in sand dunes before.

"Oh, you'll get stuck in the sand a few times, but it's no big deal.  You'll probably have to push and move the thing to get it out.  If you keep throttling the engine, you'll get deeper in the sand, but only stupid people do that."

OK, I got this covered.  I wouldn't do anything stupid, I thought.  Unfortunately, it didn't take long before I did exactly what I wasn't supposed to do the next day.

After we received our mandatory safety briefing and instructions, I sat on a Honda 250 cc ATV, barely remembering how to throttle, brake and shift.  I figured that as long as I didn't kill the engine, I would somehow return intact after our two-hour rides.  I tried to act confident as I steered the vehicle out of the lot and into the dunes.  All was well, for about one minute.

I started to feel my right rear tire losing traction.  Somehow my right side ended up in very soft sand, and it was a matter of seconds before I realized that I was stuck.  Naw, that couldn't possibly happen, not barely a few hundred meters into the sand!  Perhaps I wasn't really stuck, I thought.  I hit the throttle.  I felt the right rear tire sinking deeper in.  OK, I was stupid.

Dozens of other vehicles passed me as I got out of my ATV, looking and feeling, uh...what is that word?  Fortunately, that feeling was transient as I managed to lift the back of the vehicle out of the soft sand, and after repositioning it on firmer ground, I managed to power the thing clear of the sand pit.  All was well again...except that my daughter also ended up stuck in the sand.  This would be a learning experience.

Many of us also tend to "be stupid" when we are mired in the sand as we cross through treacherous dunes in our journeys through life.  The soft sand traps are our bad habits, addictions, and dysfunctional situations in our work, relationships, and families.  Unfortunately, because of our own sinful inclinations, we find ourselves often digging ourselves in deeper the harder we try to drive ourselves out.  Change can only happen when we admit that we are stuck, be willing to get out of the cockpit, and resolve to point our vehicles in a new direction.

We need to repent.  We need to turn away from sin, for it is written,

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 6:23)

How do we turn away from sin and receive this free gift of God?  When Peter proclaimed the message of salvation to the multitudes, the first word he said was "repent":

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 2:38)

Hit the throttle.