On a beautiful afternoon in October of 2024, Kahiau Kawai and his high school kayaking team hit the waters off the coast of Oahu. It was a great day; until it was not! Around 4 pm, a storm began to roll in and everyone headed for shore. It was then that they realized that Kahiau was missing. At 6:30 pm, 911 call went out and soon search and rescue helicopters and boats were searching the ocean for the 17-year-old. Darkness fell and there was still no trace of the boy. Others joined in, fearing the worst. Surviving in the open sea is hard enough when one is well-equipped. It is another thing in a storm without a life jacket. Kahiau’s family gathered and began to talk about his funeral. Finally, at 4 am, after searching ...
I love positive people. I am allergic to negativity (it makes my skin crawl). However, I realize, too, that positive thinking is sometimes nothing more than wishful thinking because it is based on nothing. Isaiah wanted God's people to be hopeful and positive, but with good reason which is what this verse gives us.