Don’t Let Me Doe (#117 of 365+)

Joni talked about cute little three-year-old Abbey, a girl with the fear of water. Even if she has her water wings on, and her mother is holding and assuring her, she’ll still grasp onto her mother as if
she’s drowning and plead, “Don’t let me doe” (or, don’t let me go). I remember my son was also very fearful around water at a young age. It took awhile but he learned to trust in small increments until he built up enough confidence in his instructor to eventually learn to swim. He’s a teenager now and last summer I watched as he had fun playing water volleyball with grown men. It didn’t even faze him he was in the deep end of the pool.

“But now, this is what the LORD says… ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you… For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior’” (Isaiah 43:1-3)

My mother was almost fifty years old when she finally took her first swimming lesson. She enrolled with a friend close to her age. Mom practically plunged herself into the water from the start because she knew those instructors had taught me well and the life guards wouldn’t let her drown. Her friend, however, practically snarled at an instructor from the first day and never let go of the wall. Mom learned to swim beautifully but her friend, unfortunately, didn’t even learn to trust.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28)

Returning to Joni’s story about the girl in water wings... Abbey’s mother said, “She needs to realize that my hold on her is more secure than any grip she has on me”. Joni said that’s a great lesson about the Lord. “God… has the eternal security of our souls in an armlock. He will never, ever let you go!”

Lord, thank you that my salvation is secure—not because of what I do but because of you. Help me to trust you more. May I relax and enjoy life today. Amen.