Kids say the darnedest things. I think that was a TV show, but it’s true. I’ve spent a lot of time in the pool with my kids this summer. They love the water and they want me in it at ALL times. Campbell, my 6 year old, is a fish. He can swim really well and doesn’t need any help. But my 3 year old, Carter, is still uncertain about the water. He prefers the steps. He can sit in the shallow end, splash around, and stay relatively safe. But every now and then, I’ll take him a little further out in the pool. And he’s not sure what to do with that. He has this mixture of laughing and crying…it’s like a “this is really fun, but I’m still not sure about it” kind of noise. He hangs on as tight as he can, and I’ll draw him in close and say what every parent says, “It’s OK, I’ve got you.” And somehow, that takes the edge off. He believes that what I’m saying is true. He relaxes. He splashes. He enjoys the ride in his daddy’s arms.
Last week, I noticed that his confidence level has increased. He was walking further out into the pool by himself. And now, I’m getting nervous, so I walked out beside him and sat down to make sure that I was in close proximity. He walked over to me, put his arms around my neck, looked me in the eye, and said, “It’s OK daddy…you got me.” I laughed…and then I pondered. There was something deep about that statement…something profound. It was child-like. It was simple. But, it was true. I had been telling him for weeks that it was OK, that I had him. And he got it. He believed it. He walked like it was true.
As a father of a child, I was proud of that moment. As a child of the Father, I learned something about how God sees us. We may feel like we’re in over our heads. We’re concerned about the health of a loved one. We’re worried about the economy and whether or not we will have a job next week. We’re discouraged over a relationship and wonder if the damage can be repaired. We feel like we are drowning in life! But take heart. We have arms beneath us and a voice whispering in our ear, “It’s OK, I’ve got you.” And He never lets go. The question is, do you live like you believe that?
I wonder how different life would be if before taking our first step in the morning, we would kneel before the God of the Universe and simply say, “It’s OK daddy…you got me…whatever difficulty comes my way, whatever life holds today, I’m secure in your arms,”? Maybe we would walk like it’s true…and maybe, just maybe, God would smile at the faith of his children.