John 12:24-25
“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of
wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more
than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces
itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life
just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your
love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal."
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
It’s summer time, which means
“swim lessons” for Timothy and Zola! I was talking to Timothy about
the lessons and how he will learn so much this summer (his second summer
for lessons). I said, “Soon, I hope you won’t even need your life
jacket any longer.” He immediately wailed, “Nooooo! I’ll DROWN!” I
assured him that this would not happen…that he would know how to swim,
and we adults would ensure his safety. He was not having any of it!
I
reminded Timothy that by the end of last summer, he was jumping into the
pool and “swimming” without his life jacket…that in order to “dive” to
the bottom and gather his toys, he would need to swim without it. He
continued to protest, and we changed the subject. I see countless
children at the local aquatic center who desperately want to jump into
the pool, but they are afraid to do so. The end result is that they
cling to the sides – or the ladders. Or, like my niece Zola, they cling
to the neck of an adult – like her Aunt Debbie’s!
This is very
much how we are as Christians…and even more so as unbelievers who are
apprehensive to surrender completely to Jesus. We see what lies before
us…forgiveness of sins…a “new life in Christ”…blessings, guidance and
wisdom from God…the promise of Eternal Life in Heaven...and much more.
And we want all of these things! But we are afraid to “take off our
life jackets,” let go of the rails or a grown-up’s neck, and jump into
the water!
In order to truly “live” as Christians, we have to
“die” to ourselves. And this is definitely a hard thing for most of
us. But it’s the only way. You cannot have both, no matter how hard
some try. True Christian living is an “either/or” situation. Either
you are “all in” with Him, or you’re like the seed that lies atop the
ground and goes nowhere…the happy child who is swimming and “diving” for
water toys…or the little kid who never even gets wet.
Before the
school year ended, the children had a “water day” at school, and Greg
and I visited Timothy’s class as they happily played on inflatable water
slides and other toys. One little boy stood in line behind Timothy,
and as children came off the slide, he moved aside and gave them his
place in the line. I said to this child, “Don’t you want to take your
turn?” He shook his head and said, “Water’s really not my ‘thing’.” I
don’t think he ever even got wet.
Let me ask you…is Jesus your
“thing?” Are you all in with Him…or standing on the sidelines? Isn’t
it time you “took the plunge” and got wet? Aren’t you ready to really
live in Jesus? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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