Gasping for air.
Swallowing water with each breath.
Reaching for anything to grab.
Going under for the third time in water depths twice my little height.
Frightened beyond words.
Will anyone notice?
Around the age of eleven, I was with some friends at the pool. In the deep end of the pool, some of the older kids played a game with other kids on their shoulders. I don’t remember if they were playing “chicken” or not.
One of the older girls asked if I would get on her shoulders.
“Sure,” I said. “Just don’t dump me backwards in the deep end.”
Into the shallow end we went and up on her shoulders I went. And what does she do? Yup. She dumps me backwards off her shoulders in the deep end!
I couldn’t swim very well. I could play around in the water if my feet touched the bottom of the pool; I felt safe there. I always struggled to swim. I had no body fat to keep me afloat. Too skinny! My biggest fear? The deep end!
I almost drowned in the deep end that day. But, suddenly, a hand reached out, grabbed my arm, and pulled me up to an inner tube from a tractor tire that just happened to be in the deep end.
Rescued.
I didn’t have a storm around me, though it felt like it, so I understand a little how Peter felt as he stepped out of the boat that day, full of courage, yet, “when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted.” (Matt. 14:30 TLB)
Just as the Lord heard Peter and “immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him,” (Matt. 14:31 NKJV) and saved him, so He reached out and saved me that day.
The deep end still scares me. My lungs even close up when I see someone struggling underwater on television or in a movie. But the crazy thing? I love the water!
I didn’t have a storm around me, though it felt like it, so I wonder how Peter felt, as he looked at the raging waves billowing against him, when “immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” (Matt. 14:31 NKJV)
He heard my cry, just as He heard David’s plea, “Reach down from heaven and rescue me; deliver me from deep waters” (Ps. 144:7a TLB), and He answered, as David said, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me…You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.” (Ps. 138:7 NLT)
Jesus calls us in the midst of the rushing, storm waters to come to Him. Ever so gently He calls…Come a little deeper. Come on. I’m right here. I’ll not only rescue you but I’ll teach you to swim in the deep end. I won’t let you drown.
There is no fear of sinking, for He reaches out, grabs us with a mighty grip, and will not let go. He is our Life Preserver.
Have you been swimming in the deep end lately?
From His feet, Lynn
At a time of physical upheaval in 2000, Lynn Mosher felt led of the Lord to take up her pen and write. With this new passion, she has embraced her mission to reach others through Christ-honoring literature, encouraging them in their walk and offering comfort through the written word. Lynn lives with her hubby (since 1966) in their Kentucky nest, emptied of three chicklets, and expanded by three giggly grand-chicklets, and an inherited dog. You can find out more about Lynn by visiting her website http://lynnmosher.com
JoAnne Bennett
/ July 10, 2015I almost drowned as well as a little girl. Away at camp, we were floating down the Russian River on inner tubes. I couldn’t have been very old considering where I was living with my family at that time. Well, we stopped at a swimming hole to take a dip. Nobody knew my secret, even the camp counselors. The swimming hole looked shallow, but the water was certainly deceiving. I got those feelings of helplessness all over again when I read your insightful article, Lynn. When I kept bobbing up and down, one of my fellow boy campers finally lifted me up out of the water while yelling, “She doesn’t know how to swim!” Thanks for reminding me through the difficult parts of my journey, Jesus can do that same thing as He was that day as well. Love you my friend <3