Swimming in Deep Water

 

I swim like a rock. I learned how to swim when I was a kid but I was never very good at it. I knew the mechanics of swimming but I could never convince myself to go out into deep water because I didn’t have the confidence that I could stay afloat.

 

We see people throughout the Bible who had to step out in faith, trusting that God would keep them afloat. The widow of Zarephath was down to the last meal for her and her son before they starved, yet she prepared some bread for Elijah and God provided food for them to last until the drought was over. Jesus commended the widow who put her last two coins into the temple treasury. Nothing is said in the gospels about what eventually happened to the widow but I believe that God provided for her in view of Jesus’ remarks.

 

We need to be ready to step out in faith when God calls us to do so. We can do it confidently only if we are staying close to Him and remaining open to hearing Him speak to us. The more times we go out into deep water in faith, the better we will be at staying afloat. We should have confidence that God will be there for us if we need Him.

 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (Isa 43:1-2).