Rescued!

After a few laps I noticed him.



courtesy of photo bucket



He was swimming his heart out - good at it, too.

He was made to swim.

ButI could tell he was getting tired and he wanted out.

I could stand and touch the bottom to rest. He couldn't.

He kept trying to climb the side but he was too small. There was nothing for him to grab; just the

 slippery sides of the pool.

I watched him struggle.

If I don't help him – he'll die.
No doubt about it.

As good a swimmer as he was, he wasn't good enough.

I knew exactly how he felt. He was doing his best but coming up short; over his head with no time to rest; nothing solid, nothing sure; only a slippery slope and no way out.

No options – but swim. And keep swimming and hope somehow someway he'll find a way out or be rescued.

I thought; how in the world did you get into this mess? This is no place for you.

I said; "hey, let me get you out of here."

I reached out a hand. Instead of accepting my help – he swam. I tried to hold him but he slipped away – out into the deep. I swam after him.

Now I couldn't touch the bottom either. He avoided me with all his might.

"Hey little guy I'm just trying to help" I pleaded.

When I caught up to him I cupped both hands around him and had to tread water using only my legs and feet.

Somehow I managed to inhale when I should have exhaled. For this I was awarded a lung full of H2O; which caused me to cough, kick, spit and sputter the rest of the way to the shallow end of the pool. All the while I was thinking; now I'm the one who's going to need saving.

But I never let him go to save myself – although the thought crossed my mind.

I carried him to the edge and gently set him down.

You may not believe it - but the stupid little frog looked at the water like he was going to jump back in.

I blocked his way with my hand and he turned and hopped away… to live happily ever after.

It really happened that way – ask him…

                                                                                  Photo courtesy of photo bucket

As I stood at the edge of the pool still trying to replace air for water in my lungs I thought this is a familiar scene. Only I was the frog.

I was the one in need of saving. Doing my best but it was only a matter of time until I sank. No way out of this world alive. I needed a Deliverer. He came. I swam away and resisted His attempts to rescue me. Thought I could do it on my own. He knew better. He launched into the deep to reach me, even to His own hurt.


And He never let me go, although, I'm sure it crossed His mind. He stretched out His hand so I could live happily ever after.


It really happened that way – ask Him.

Jesus is still rescuing today. The Life Guard of Life Guards is He.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all

Romans 5:8 

 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Psalm 69:1-2 

 ¹ Save me, O God!
         For the waters have come up to my neck.
 ² I sink in deep mire,
         Where there is no standing;
         I have come into deep waters,
         Where the floods overflow me.

^{Isaiah 53:5
5} But He was wounded for our transgressions,
      He was bruised for our iniquities;
      The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
      And by His stripes we are healed.

Luke 22:42
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

 

John 13:1
[ Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet ] Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved
them to the end

John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.