Just Float

I've heard it said that if you're drowning one of the best things you can do is to lift up your feet, lay on your back and just float.    Apparently a lot of drownings occur because people panic and flail and scream and get a lot of water in their lungs, which makes it difficult to rescue them.   This seems silly to me, because most of us are naturally buoyant if we just lean back.

I was thinking about this as I floated in a lake over the weekend.   As a DINK (dual-income-no-kids), I'm not really accustomed to living with children, and we were spending the weekend with my husband's family and their children.    There was a lot of activity throughout the entire weekend, and when we got to the lake, I took the opportunity to swim out away from the group and just float.    

During my float, I made a couple of observations:
1.   It's harder to float when boats or jet skis are in the vicinity, but not impossible.
2.   It's super refreshing to lay in the water with the sun shining on your face.  Not too hot.  Not too cold.
3.   You hear differently when your ears are under water.

I want to park on number 3 for a few minutes.    When we arrived at the lake, we were not the only chill seekers out there.   There was a group with their vehicles parked close by blaring the latest country favorites as they played in the water.   Then there was the kids in our group, getting giddy while playing in the water.   Yet, when I leaned back, and my toes found the air and my ears dipped under the water, all of that was muted, and there was peace.   I could hear every breath I took.   I could feel every ripple in the water.   I was in another world, even for just a few minutes.  

Water is often used to symbolize the Holy Spirit, both in Scripture and in many theological teachings.   As I was floating in the lake, I wondered if this is what Jesus meant when He said, "All who are weary, come to me and rest."  Before my ears hit the water, my face had to turn to the sun, and I had to quit standing on my own.  As I quit flailing and trying to tread water, leaned back, and my ears dipped beneath the water, the chaos of the world around me just disappeared.   There was peace.  There was quiet.   There was calm.  There was rest, much needed rest.     

In that moment, I wondered, "What if, when we're drowning, we turn our face toward the sun, we quit trying to stand on our own, and put our ears into His presence?"   How much chaos are buying into simply by keeping our ears out of the water?  

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  

Look full in His wonderful face.  

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

in the light of His glory and grace.