That Sinking Feeling

When I was a child, my father and all his friends and their families gathered to have a huge pool party. Tons of kids, including my siblings and me, were having a blast. Most of my friends and I couldn’t swim, so my mom put huge floaties on my arms. That way, when I jumped into the water, I would pop to the surface.

Because of the faith I had in the floaties, I would leap into the water over and over again. I would creep to the edge of the pool, jump as high as I could, and make the biggest splash possible. Afterward, it was easy to just pull myself out.

Eventually I became bored of simply jumping in the shallow water. I wanted to jump into the deep waters. The problem was that my mother had told me I was only allowed to play in the shallow water of the pool because I didn’t know how to swim. Despite my mother’s stern warning, I decided I knew better.

I got out of the pool and walked to the deep end. Though I was somewhat scared, I trusted that my floaties would not fail me. I remember bending my knees as low as I could and springing up into the air. But as I hit the water, something terrible happened. Both of my floaties popped!

My heart fell right to my stomach. I had nothing to keep me above the water; I began to sink. My hope began to drown along with me because who was going to notice me? Everyone was too busy having fun, splashing and jumping into the water.      

As I sank, I remember thinking that I should have listened to my mother. Soon, I began to believe that all was lost. I could no longer hold my breath, and the surface was traveling farther and farther away.

Then, I felt something. Two huge hands grabbed my tiny waist and pulled me out of the depths of the pool. Lifting me up from the very danger I had created, my father held me up and placed my feet on solid ground. Then, he looked at me... not with anger, but with concern. Even though it was completely my fault that I had almost drowned, my father forgave me before I could even say sorry.

Did you know that your heavenly Father does the same for us every single day, when we just ask? His eyes are always fixed on his children. Even though we are disobedient and choose to rely on our own strengths (or floaties), God is waiting to save us. Though you may be drowning in deep waters, cry out to your heavenly Father. Just as all seems lost, the next thing you will feel is those nail-pierced hands lifting you up to solid ground.

By Eliab Quinones