You're Not Alone

The Apple of His Eye - Audio Message

   His eye is on the sparrow and I know He cares for you!

"The Deep End"

By ROb Bailes

But I Can't Touch!

A couple of years ago, as my youngest daughter and I were getting ready to go swimming, just as we have many times before, we made sure we had everything we needed before heading to the Pullen Aquatic Center. She even thought of the things she needed to wash with after swimming. We guys just use whatever is available or do a quick rinse on the way to the lockers. We had been swimming for a while when Cass wanted to go down to the deep end where the diving boards were. The diving boards being closed for the day allowed us to just swim around at that end of the pool. I have to say that this pool is huge and you can swim quite a ways before you get to a lane rope or the other side of the pool.

At first she didn't want to actually get in and swim as it was 14 feet deep but she gradually ease herself into the deep blue water. She had dove off the diving boards many times but this time it seemed like unfamiliar territory for some reason. When she first got into the water and let go of the side she said, "Eww, it feels like something could swim up under me and bite my foot or leg."
I told her to put on her goggles and look into the water and see how clear it was but she decided she just wasn't ready to actually look at the deep water she was wading in. She might get scared and get out. Gradually we swam out into the middle of this deep area and were doing quite well. She seemed to be really enjoying herself and swimming allot better than I had remembered her swimming in the past. I was even feeling a bit proud of her courage and strength that had developed so quickly.
Then without any notice whatsoever, she got a frightened look on her face and began frantically swimming towards me! It was more of a dog paddle which really slowed her down in reaching her destination. I knew how tired I already was from our swim but I wasn't about to move away from her! I knew I couldn't possibly touch the bottom so I just whispered a prayer and said,"God I really need your strength to get us to the side of this pool."

As she got closer her panic increase and she said in a quick but convincing voice, "Help!" It was then that I saw her little chin going into the water and realized she was really loosing this fight mentally that she could make it. Something had happened in her little mind that caused her to feel a lack of security, enough so that she had lost her confidence in the years of swimming she had experienced before and the strength of her athletic body. Well, she made it and by the strength of God, I made it to the edge of the pool also. Wow! I also believe that those supplements definitely helped as well that I take each day.

Isn't it just like us sometimes to panic when we get into unfamiliar territory? We may have been there for a while but suddenly we get into a panic and satan begins to fill our minds with doubt and fear and the next thing we know, we are struggling just to get back home to our safe place or to a friend as fast as we can that makes us feel safe and protected.

I want to share a couple of verses written by David when he was being chased down by the kings men to be killed. They were waiting outside his door to catch him when he came out, but he had ran to the safety of his home and began crying out to the Lord for help!
Let's use this passage today to remind us of where our help comes from and do as David did when he found himself surrounded; like I did when my girl was swimming to me in the deep, deep, deep waters; like she did when she began to panic and feel she wouldn't make it back to her fathers arms crying, "HELP!" Let's trust in our Lord and make Him our refuge of strength! Let's call out to Him,"Help!" Let's pray often!

Psalms 59:16,17
16 But I will sing of thy power; yes, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.