Rowing hard, yet getting nowhere

Today’s Reading: John 6:19-21 (NIV)

19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water, and they were terrified. 20 But He said to them, “It is I, don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Memory Verse: 1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV)

Good day!

During her childhood, my mother, along with her brothers and sisters, would take a dip in the spring-fed pond that emerged from the creek bed, nestled behind their farm. On sticky and hot Mississippi afternoons, they found great pleasure in swinging on a tire rope wrapped around the kudzu laced branches of the tall pine trees overlooking the deepest part of the pond. They would let go of the rope, falling feet first into the ice cold water. My mother never had a swimming lesson. Her brothers just threw her into the water and said, “Swim, sister!”

I remember the first time I learned how to tread water in the deep. My sister and I were taking swimming lessons at Bangert Park at the neighborhood pool. Our instructor was trying to teach us how to tread water. My treading looked more like the dog paddle. I was laughing out loud, while spinning around in the chlorinated water, my toes not touching the bottom of the pool. It was the first time I had ventured into the deep on my own. It was exhilarating, at first. It didn’t take long, however, to suddenly begin to feel fatigued. I was hoping my swimming coach would let me grab hold of her hand, but she kept moving backwards, saying, “Come on, you can do it.” “Do what?” I thought to myself. “Drown?” I was working really hard but my efforts alone were not taking me very far. I remember drinking a large a gulp of the pool water just as my head went under. It was at that moment that two strong hands lifted me up. I was coughing and spewing and very frightened, as my swim coach carried me back to the water’s edge. She said, “You did good! Now let me help you.”

We think we can do it on our own, launching out into the deep. We let go of the life line, jumping in feet first into the cold, brisk water of life. Off we go, totally pumped, and paddling as fast as we can toward the goal. About three to three-and half miles, minutes or years, depending upon how you do the math, you get just about half-way there, only to run out of energy. Beginning to sink, there is nothing else one can do except to reach out for the hands of the One who walks upon the water. We all need a life guard to lift us up and carry us safely back to shore.

The disciples were rowing hard, yet getting nowhere. They needed to be willing to let the Master into their boat, and once they did, they reached their destination, almost immediately. Stop trying to do it all by yourself. Why not choose to swim in the loving protection of Jesus Christ today? He is, after all, the Only life guard you will ever need.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

Come into my boat today, dear Savior, and save me from myself. Amen.

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© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

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