I unfortunately have never learned how to swim, and that
deficit in my abilities was never more clear than the day I almost
drowned. I was 15 and it was Memorial Day
weekend and I was at the beach with my church youth group.
deficit in my abilities was never more clear than the day I almost
drowned. I was 15 and it was Memorial Day
weekend and I was at the beach with my church youth group.
If you’ve ever swam, or in my case, walked, in the ocean you
know it is a very different experience than being in a pool. The bottom shifts and is uneven,
undercurrents and waves crash into your body and the motion of the water can be
somewhat disorienting, making it difficult to judge distance… disrupting your
equilibrium.
know it is a very different experience than being in a pool. The bottom shifts and is uneven,
undercurrents and waves crash into your body and the motion of the water can be
somewhat disorienting, making it difficult to judge distance… disrupting your
equilibrium.
That day at the beach I attempted to brave the waters, which
seemed tranquil enough at the time and venture out in the waves to meet a group
of my friends who seemed to be having a good time in the ocean. The water on them only seemed to be as high
as their waists and they seemed to have no problem dealing with the waves. “How hard could it be?” I thought.
seemed tranquil enough at the time and venture out in the waves to meet a group
of my friends who seemed to be having a good time in the ocean. The water on them only seemed to be as high
as their waists and they seemed to have no problem dealing with the waves. “How hard could it be?” I thought.
As I took my first steps, it became apparent that this
journey was not going to be as easy as I thought. The shifting sand beneath my feet seemed to
disappear and I found myself sinking if I stayed in one place too long. With each step, I seemed to sink deeper and
deeper and water was already at my waist and I hadn’t even completed half of
the journey. As I stood wondering why I
was so deep in water and I hadn’t gone half the distance my friends had, I
decided to take one more step, and if that didn’t work, I would turn and go
back to shore.
journey was not going to be as easy as I thought. The shifting sand beneath my feet seemed to
disappear and I found myself sinking if I stayed in one place too long. With each step, I seemed to sink deeper and
deeper and water was already at my waist and I hadn’t even completed half of
the journey. As I stood wondering why I
was so deep in water and I hadn’t gone half the distance my friends had, I
decided to take one more step, and if that didn’t work, I would turn and go
back to shore.
Suddenly my head was under water and I couldn’t feel the
bottom. I was thrashing around
frantically, trying to remember everything I had heard about swimming… just trying
to keep my head above water and somehow, in all that panic, I managed to flail
over to barnacle encrusted rock. It was
slimy and smelled of old fish and the barnacles cut my fingertips, but I clung
to that rock for dear life, because that rock was the only thing keeping my
head above water.
bottom. I was thrashing around
frantically, trying to remember everything I had heard about swimming… just trying
to keep my head above water and somehow, in all that panic, I managed to flail
over to barnacle encrusted rock. It was
slimy and smelled of old fish and the barnacles cut my fingertips, but I clung
to that rock for dear life, because that rock was the only thing keeping my
head above water.
Eventually, I was able to call out to one of my friends
enjoying the waves in the distance and she came and somehow got me safely to
shore.
enjoying the waves in the distance and she came and somehow got me safely to
shore.
As I look back and think about that day and how my friend
and I sat on the beach in stunned
silence… both of us too afraid to speak out loud about the tragedy that almost
took place, I think of that rock, how steadfast and true it was… barnacles and
all… in my moment of need.
and I sat on the beach in stunned
silence… both of us too afraid to speak out loud about the tragedy that almost
took place, I think of that rock, how steadfast and true it was… barnacles and
all… in my moment of need.
Psalms 61:2 says, “from the end of the earth will I cry unto
thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” That day, my Rock was covered in jagged crustaceans
and smelled bad… not the best of conditions… and as with most things in life of
value, it wasn’t easy to hang on to. You
have to be willing to get past the circumstances that surround the Rock.
thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” That day, my Rock was covered in jagged crustaceans
and smelled bad… not the best of conditions… and as with most things in life of
value, it wasn’t easy to hang on to. You
have to be willing to get past the circumstances that surround the Rock.
When Paul and Silas were in prison, it was their knowledge
of Christ as Savior that was their Rock, but it was also the reason they were
in prison… and yet they hung on. The Rock that John the Evangelist hung on to… that gave us the book of Revelation
and the Gospel of John… also got him imprisoned on the isle of Patmos and boiled
alive in oil (although he didn’t die)… and yet he continued to hang on.
The Rock that Joan of Arc hung on to, the fact that she heard from God…
eventually got her burned at the stake, by the Catholic Church no less… the
church she loved and had helped.
of Christ as Savior that was their Rock, but it was also the reason they were
in prison… and yet they hung on. The Rock that John the Evangelist hung on to… that gave us the book of Revelation
and the Gospel of John… also got him imprisoned on the isle of Patmos and boiled
alive in oil (although he didn’t die)… and yet he continued to hang on.
The Rock that Joan of Arc hung on to, the fact that she heard from God…
eventually got her burned at the stake, by the Catholic Church no less… the
church she loved and had helped.
My experience with hanging on to that barnacle encrusted…
slimy… smelly rock wasn’t nearly as challenging or as dramatic as John or Paul
or Joan of Arc, but it was just as important.
If I hadn’t, I might not be here today.
If I hadn’t, I might not have learned an important lesson that has
enabled me to hang on in more recent and more spiritually trying times. Hanging
on to the Rock is never easy, but it is always… ALWAYS… worth it.
slimy… smelly rock wasn’t nearly as challenging or as dramatic as John or Paul
or Joan of Arc, but it was just as important.
If I hadn’t, I might not be here today.
If I hadn’t, I might not have learned an important lesson that has
enabled me to hang on in more recent and more spiritually trying times. Hanging
on to the Rock is never easy, but it is always… ALWAYS… worth it.
