My daughter was invited to my girlfriend’s pool to swim with her children the other day.  When we arrived I reminded her that Rebecca couldn’t swim very well, and to keep a close eye on her. We talked about her children’s swimming skills, and she told me that they still had trouble floating.  They were great swimmers, but for some reason this was a skill they had not mastered yet.  We both agreed that floating was probably one of the most important swimming skills you could master, because it could potentially save your life when in a crisis situation in the water.

Floating is a simple skill to learn.  You take a deep breath while laying on your back with your face to the sky, trusting the water to buoy you to the surface.  Your body is fully relaxed, with your arms out to the side.  Your breathing is even with your arms placed on each side of your body.  Learning to float is important as it helps you to conserve precious energy while you wait for someone to rescue you from the water.  Even the act of treading water can quickly wear you out.  Floating is one of the first skills swimming instructors teach their students, knowing that  this one basic skill has the potential to save their lives.

As I was pondering all the benefits of floating, and the sheer enjoyment of relaxing in the water this way, the Lord began speaking to me.  As believers, we all need to learn how to “float”.  During the course of our lives we are going to face many crisis situations, and if we don’t learn this key skill, we will certainly drown.  We must learn to relax, turn our faces toward heaven, and trust that the Lord is already working to deliver us from the situation at hand.  We must not panic, for then we could drown.  Even if the storm is fierce we can completely trust the One who has brought us to it.  The very storm or catastrophe brought into your life can be used to buoy you into greater realms of intimacy and fruitfulness for the King of kings.  The very trial laid at your door could be a test of your heart’s faithfulness to Him.  Can you say as Job did long ago, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15)?

Here is what He spoke to my heart:

“Beloved, it is not for you to completely understand the storms I bring to your door.  If you completely understood why it was taking place, you would not need faith to see you through.  Every time you exercise the gift of faith you become stronger inside.  Your trust will not be misplaced.  I have promised that I would never leave you or forsake you – no matter what comes.  Remember that I have overcome the world.  Your complete surrender to My plans for your life rise to Me as a sweet offering.  Beloved, all I am I offer to you now.  Just trust Me.  I have plans for your good and not for evil – plans to give you great hope, and a future beyond anything you could possibly dream or imagine.  For I am the dream-giver…I am the LIFE-giver.  I’m asking for the only thing you have to give Me – your heart, your trust, and your love.  I delight in moving heaven and earth to come to your rescue.  But even if I wait, it is only to work a greater victory in your life.  Through faithfulness you will be established.”

As hard as we may try, we cannot add a single hour to our lives (Matthew 6:27).  We can be cautious and play it safe, but ultimately life is not ours to give.  We partner with God to protect life and nurture life and bring new life into the world, but He is ultimately the life-giver (John 10:10).  He holds your very life in the palm of His loving, capable hands.  Take a deep breath, relax, and turn your face to Him in complete trust and faithfulness.  Throw your arms out to the side in complete surrender.  Allow Him to be your buoy during the crisis.  I promise that His love will never fail you (1 Corinthians 13:8).

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39