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Have you ever watched a young child learning how to swim? This task requires a number of safety precautions and some detailed planning. First, it's necessary that someone who knows how to swim be in the pool, second the child learning to swim needs to have the support and help of their parent in the process, and third - this child learning to swim needs to enter the water with the right kind of equipment. A few years ago, my nephew took some classes to learn how to swim because Grandma had a small pool in her backyard.
At first, he was literally enveloped in gear to assist him in swimming - a full body swim suit that had floating devices built in, water wings, goggles and a kick board! At first, he looked a bit like a deep sea diver in the 4ft. deep pool - but day by day he shed the gear as his skill and confidence in swimming grew. In that short summer, I was amazed at the stride he made in learning how to swim. Throughout the whole process, he had "Hope" that he would learn how to swim.
Water wings, kick boards and full body swim suits fit with flotation devices are great metaphors for hope. We need hope to carry us in the deep water we sometime find ourselves in. We need support of our lifeguard (God) when we are in the deep and shallow ends of the pool, and we need people (friends and family) that love and lift us up nearby when the back splash cause us to sputter and struggle. All these representatives of support remind me of how important living out a hopeful and hope-fueled life.
We know the pool of life is deep, but with God, faithful family and friends, and the kick-board and water-wings of hope - we will make it to the other side of the pool and back again.(And have some fun in the process too!)
Take the plunge - hope always floats.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
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