On the Surface
Desperate to make winter less mundane I’ve been hanging out at my local pool swimming laps. I think it has helped, it certainly hasn’t hurt. The warm water makes me think summer isn’t as far off. Now, before you form any picture in your mind of me swimming, let’s be clear. There is nothing graceful in the way I swim. No one has ever complemented me on my technique or style. My swimming strokes resemble controlled flailing in the water. Thankfully, the lifeguards so far have not made an attempt to rescue me for which I am grateful. Simply put, I can get myself from one end of the pool to the other.
While controlled flailing this morning, I began thinking about how deep the water I was passing over was. Not necessarily a comforting thought but I ended up concluding the depth of water really didn’t make a difference. No matter if I’m in 4.5 feet or 12 feet of water, I was still only doing laps on the surface. When I stay on the surface my eyes are fixed on the end, the solid end of the pool I plan to reach for and catch a breath.
Today, in the quiet of my morning swim, the Lord reminded me I would do better living my life with the same perspective. Life happens. Many days are good. Some are really good. They feel safe, secure, and manageable. Then in a moment, something happens and we discover life no longer feels as safe and secure. It feels very much like we are in way above our heads. This week was a deep water week for me as I got some unexpected news. Unfortunately, that news became my focus and I started analyzing the depth of the water I was facing. What will my deep water hold? Before long fear and worry wrapped themselves around me and began pulling me under.
Jesus said a wonderful thing. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our troubles don’t surprise Jesus. He knows the world is broken. He knows we are broken. Those two things bring troubles. But cheer up; be encouraged Jesus has already overcome. He is willing and able to help us over any deep water we must cross.
As we do our daily laps of life which may look like controlled flailing at times, let’s remember to stay on the surface. The Lord hasn’t asked us to navigate our deep water but to keep our eyes on the Rock at the end and reach for Him. Jesus said “I tell you, do not worry about your life….Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”(Matthew 6:25-26).
Charlene Ramstead