The Church Mouse: Jumping in the Deep End
The Church Mouse: Jumping in the Deep End
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. – Psalms 28:7
Once upon on a time there was a little girl who wanted to go swimming. She begged and begged and begged her parents to let her go swimming. Every day all summer long she begged and begged. Finally, her mother who was tired of hearing the begging and whining gave in and took her to the community swimming pool.
The little girl was so excited. Upon arriving at the pool she raced thru the gate and into the swimming area. She hurriedly drop her towel slipped off her flip-flops and ran to the side of the pool. Before her mother or anyone else could stop her, the little girl jumped right into the 6 foot deep water. She made a huge splash! Then the little girl began to panic, first she lost her glasses; she could not see and then she realized she did not know how to swim! The little girl splashed, coughed and flailed about in the water for several minutes, splashing everyone near by.
Finally a friendly young lady, who happened to be the lifeguard pulled the little girl to the shallow end pool. She helped her out of the water and calmed her down. The little girl’s mother stood by quietly watching.
After a few minutes the little girl ran to the diving board. She climbed to the top of the six foot high board and stood on the edge of the board for several minutes. Soon there was a line of other swimmers behind her who also wanted to dive into the pool. She was frightened but, finally, she got up her courage and holding her nose she stepped off of the board. She landed with another big splash in the 8 foot deep water. She still did not know how to swim!!
This time, when lifeguard pulled her out of the water, she told the little girl to go to the kiddie pool until she learned how to swim.
All this time the little girl’s mother, had sat quietly by watching everything take place, but her mother had never spoke a word; but she was ready if need be to rescue her daughter.
Sometimes we do this in life. We jump into a situation we do not understand and that we are not prepared for. We comprise our morals because we think it is necessary to be like everybody else in the world. Before we even realize what is happening we are in over our heads. We have jumped into the deep end of sin. We get depressed and angry because we have lost our way and we are splashing and flailing around living in sin and all to often we are too stubborn to ask for help.
We forget that just like the little girl there is a lifeguard and a parent in our lives!
God is our parent. He is here watching and waiting on us to call out, for him to send Jesus to rescue us. Jesus is our lifeguard. He will pull us out the messes that we get ourselves into everyday…hour…minute…
However, we are just like the little girl who could not swim. We just keep jumping into the deep end and never asking for help until it is too late. Oh, I know we think that our persistence will pay off. You know that old saying “practice makes perfect” but you need to know what you are doing in order to practice to become perfect.
So when you find yourself in a mess, stop to pray and ask God to send Jesus to rescue you.
And maybe the next time before you forge ahead into something by your self…ask yourself, “Is this something God would want me to doing? Is this something that I would be willing to share with my church family?”
You know kind of like a WWJD thing. Think about it.
Prayer—Father, help us to depend on you for everything in our daily living. Help us to prepare ourself to be your willing helpers. Help us to be patient and willing to do what you want us to do. Help us to put you first in all that we say and do. Help us to learn to trust you in all things. Amen.
the Church Mouse.
Work hard! Pray harder!
