A "Swimming Lesson"

Today was pool day for the older boys and it was sooo much fun! Because the big van is "in the shop", we were only to take the oldest 15 boys and the others will go at a later date. It was probably better this way, because we were able to spend more time with the ones there. Sometimes the older boys are harder to relate to...there are a few that come around a lot, but many of them seem to be in their "own little world" and sometimes it's difficult to get more than a glimpse into that world. However, in some mysterious way, the water in the pool seems to break down those barriers and allow them to just be kids, have fun, laugh, and play together. Wow...it was such a great day! Beach balls were flying, piggy back rides were given, kids were launched, and smiles were in abundance! :)

I just loved watching their faces light up as they played in the water. One boy in particular will literally run from us whenever we see him around the home, but today he was asking for piggy back rides. It made me so happy whenever he would ask, because he never talks to me or comes around, and the fact that he was asking for help just made me smile.

It reminded me of how God must feel with us sometimes. I think we often adapt a "I can do it myself" type of attitude, and then there are moments where we are at the end of our rope and we realize that we really can't do it on our own. We are dependent upon God to receive any type of true and lasting joy, peace, hope, and the list goes on...

This is just like Kobby in the pool....He can do most things on His own, but in order to go to the deep end and experience something new, he has to ask for help. He is dependent on us, and just as it was a joy to help him experience this, I believe it's a joy for God to give us good gifts. In Matthew 7:9-11 Jesus says, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" God delights in our dependence on Him.

We, too, can choose do things on our own, but if we do this, the results are tragic. We are a sinful people, deserving of death (Romans 6:23), but God in His grace offers us eternal life through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). If we refuse to admit our fallen nature, our inability to be holy on our own, and our need for a Savior we will never truly live the life that God intended for us here on earth, and even more importantly, we will not be given the gift of eternal life and will spend eternity separated from Him.

So, I’m using Kobby in the pool today as a reminder to daily surrender myself to God and admit that I need His help to go through everyday. I can’t do it on my own.