When I was about 9 or 10 years old, we lived in a very small rural town outside of Malvern, Arkansas. During the summer, many of the neighborhood kids would pile into the back of a pickup and we would head to the “swimming hole”. Our “swimming hole” was a former watering pond for cattle that had been cleaned up and made suitable for swimming. It was complete with a diving board, a tire hanging by a rope from a tall tree suspended over the water – and all sides were accessible for “jumping in”.
One day I jumped off the end of the diving board. I wasn’t a very good swimmer – but I could “dog paddle” fairly well. After I jumped in, I thought I would be able to surface quickly. But to my amazement I was deeper than I had expected. The first thing that came over me was panic. However, just as quick as the panic came – a sense of calm swept over me. I realized that the shore line wasn’t too far away and I just needed to swim under water until I could reach the upper slope of the embankment. (It was a good thing that I took a deep breath before I jumped in.) After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to reach the side of the pond and was able to walk out. (I don’t remember ever jumping off the diving board again – but I sure did enjoy swimming in the pond.)
Let’s say that the “water” in the swimming hole represents our lives. There will be times in our lives when we make decisions without ever considering “how deep the water truly is”. There will be times when we find ourselves in circumstances where we feel like “we are drowning”. And there will be times when we find ourselves so overwhelmed by our surroundings that we will “panic” – without ever searching for the “upper slopes of the embankment”.
As a child of God, it is imperative that we build a strong relationship with the Lord – day-by-day. For, every day we rise from our beds we in effect enter into our own “swimming hole”. Yes, there will be days of fun and enjoyment – much like swinging on that tire and dropping into the water. And there will be days where we will be overwhelmed by our surroundings and circumstances. But let us not sink to the bottom in panic and despair. Notice the words of the psalmists.
Psalms 55:1-6,
“Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.”
Psalms 61:1-4,
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 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. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
Psalms 91:2-4,
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.”
Let us learn to find solace and calm in the Master’s hand – especially when we believe we are about to “drown”. Our Lord can solve every problem – if we will through faith allow Him to.
Mark 4:37-40 states,
“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”
Don’t be afraid to go into the “swimming hole” – just do so under the guidance of the Lord.
