Bugs in the Pool

I’ve always been a huge fan of the underdog. I always root for the least likely winner. I love to see God use ordinary folks for extraordinary things! If I see someone or something hurting, I want to reach out and help, even if it is a bug in the pool. Let me explain the bug thing. We have a very old above ground pool in our back yard. When the water reaches a certain temperature, I really enjoy exercising in it and just relaxing. It is so peaceful floating and listening to the birds sing around me. (although, every now and then I see a vulture flying high above me, checking to see if I’m road kill or something and I immediately flail my arms so that it’ll know that I’m alive and kicking!) Sometimes I feel like I’ve escaped to an exotic peaceful place when I’m quietly floating around. Being in our pool has multiple benefits. I have bad joints and the movement in the warm water helps to ease the pain, and it gets my very out of shape body moving. That’s a good thing.

I’ve noticed the past few times I’ve been in the pool that all kinds of little bugs find their way into the water, especially one particular kind of tiny bee. They fly in and find themselves struggling to get out, but have little hope of doing that on their own. I don’t know what possesses me to do this, but I find it necessary to try to rescue them. I scoop them up in a handful of water and take them safely to the side rails of the pool. They regain the senses, right their little bodies and fly off to freedom. I do not even like bugs! I’m pretty surprised that I’m willing to pick them up and help them out. I risk the chance of getting stung or bit, but I do it anyway. That’s kind of the way it is with people. Sometimes when we reach out to help, and we get “stung”, but it’s always worth it!

Like I said, I like to help people, especially those who are hurting. It is my desire to help them see the hope of Jesus Christ. The hope that proves that even when they feel like the deep waters of life are overtaking them, there is Someone who cares and who will reach down, scoop them up and set their feet back on solid ground. He loves to rescue us, just like I like to rescue the little drowning bugs. He sees us floundering down here, trying to do things on our own, living in ways that are not according to His Word, and running from the very Hands that can save us. He can take us from waterlogged to safe shores! His Word can guide us from darkness to light. If we ask Him to, He will enter our hearts and stick with us closer than any brother or friend ever will. He will never leave those who belong to Him. He will show us how to go from the depths of despair to the freedom of life in Him.

Now please don’t hear me saying that life will be all white sandy beaches and smooth sailing if we become His children. That is not true. He tells us in His Word that we will have trials in this life. We should expect them. It is part of living in a fallen world, but, we will not fight the waves of life alone, ever. His Spirit is here to guide us and His Word is available to teach us His perfect ways.

I will continue to rescue the little bugs in our pool. (unless of course they are spiders…they are on their own!) Every time I rescue a poor little drowning bug, I will remember how my Savior has rescued me and how He walks with me through life every single moment of every day. This is so reassuring. The waves of life get pretty tall sometimes. Things are constantly changing and not all change is pleasant or easy. It is easy to be overtaken by the storms of life, but if we are His children, the waves will never overtake us! What an incredible promise!

This week in Vacation Bible School at our church, we learned that “Everything is possible with God!” and that “No matter what happens, we can trust God!” We learned several songs this week about how we can trust Him, and that we can take Him at His Word. We also learned that “Nothing can keep us from His love”. These were all great songs, and great lessons. I watched almost two hundred K-5 kids, a group of pre-schoolers and one hundred fifty-plus adults learn about trusting God. Some of them asked Jesus into their hearts for the first time! It was amazing to witness what we might call “the faith of a child.” I'm so thankful to have been a part of this! We could all take a good lesson from these precious little ones. We really can trust Him! It doesn’t matter how young or old we are. It’s never too late to start! God bless! Thanks for reading!