Swimming Lessons

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:8

When my children were young each one had to go through the trauma of learning to swim.  The first step was jumping into my arms while I was in the water.  I remember specifically being at a condo with an indoor pool trying to coax my little one to jump.  After much encouragement and pleading on my part, she finally leaped into my arms in the water.  I was so encouraged for the moment only to realize the second time would require just as much work…and the third…and the fourth.  I couldn’t believe that time after time the same fear would be so paralyzing since I was catching her every time.  I kept explaining that if I caught her one time…and twice…and three times then why on earth would she not believe that I would catch her every time.

When I consider our sweet Father I sometimes feel like that little girl on the edge of the swimming pool when facing challenging and fearful situations.  I see Him…I know He is there…cheering me on….reaching out His capable arms…and yet I stand there.  I wring my hands and bite my nails afraid to jump into the arms of the One who has never let me fall.  My circumstances keep me paralyzed on the sideline and focused on the deep water.  But thankfully our Father is the same One who has been faithful in our yesterdays, steadfast in our todays and unchanging in our forever.  The One who brought us through our past seasons is the same patient Father who is reaching out to us.  He is prepared to catch us and desires to carry all of His children.  When we focus on our Father of yesterday we build the courage we need today to run to the edge of our circumstances and jump into the arms of the Father of today.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me...for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there."  Matthew 19:14-15.