faith unfaded

My two favorite sports are gymnastics and swimming. My favorite figure of speech is an allegory. The three came together seamlessly while I sat by the pool today to give me a picture of hope and a God who never fails.

Last night I was reminded that words spoken in the Spirit have eternal life. I’d reread an essay I’d written weeks ago about not placing yourself back in bondage to the past. I’d meant every word when I wrote it, but between a family conflict and an illness I’d allowed myself to slip back into darkness. I’d gone to bed in tears once again but the words continued to speak life to my soul. I woke up to the song “On Christ the solid rock I stand..all other ground is sinking sand…” playing over and over again in my mind and my heart. I could see the other ground- relationships, jobs, circumstances- fading away with only Christ remaining. He was the rock; on Him I would stand. None of the rest mattered.

At once I saw a gymnast on a dismount. It didn’t matter if she bobbled, waved her arms, shimmied to and fro…if her legs didn’t move, she stuck the landing. We may bobble but if we keep our feet on the solid rock of Christ, the deductions will be minimal in our lives.

With a lightness in my heart that has been missing for a couple of weeks, I headed to the pool. I just wanted to relax, read, and float in the water. I’ve always been able to float, no raft necessary.

Not everyone can do that.

You have to completely let your body relax and let the water buoy you. The same is true with Christ. If you rely on other things to keep you afloat, you cannot truly rely on Him.

It is easy to trust the Lord when all is going well. It’s much harder when things go wrong. I can get hurt when He doesn’t protect me from evildoers. I can get indignant when I stand in light and truth and am accused of wickedness. But I can also find a place of sheer refuge when the world turns its back on me and I’m left to float in His arms alone. For it is only then that I’m reminded that He is all I truly need.

Whether I’m wobbling on the solid rock or resting in the steady arms of the Savior, I know that He is my anchor.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.