Treading Water

Kerusso Daily Devotional

Have you ever gotten tired of treading water?

Martha is a 20-something-old lifeguard in Los Angeles. Besides dealing with deck chairs purposely thrown into the water and parents asking her to babysit poolside, she’s noticed another aspect of the job that really tugs at your heart. “Kids pretend to drown in the pool so that I will pay attention to them.”

Wow. Think about that.

At a young age, humans need to be nurtured and cared for. They want to be loved. So a young lifeguard becomes their emotional lifeline. These kids were actually pretending to nearly die so that someone would pay attention. It’s pretty sad—but not that different from the rest of us. Everyone wants to belong, and sometimes life is like a raging storm, and problems can flood the soul.

In Matthew 14, we read the story of Jesus providing comfort to His disciples in a difficult situation. He had gone to pray on a mountain while they stayed behind in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Normally, this is a very picturesque, calm lake, but this night, a storm came up. As the waves were about to capsize the boat, the men looked and saw a figure walking on the water. Peter cried out, and Jesus told him to get out of the boat and walk toward Him. Peter, known for his passionate faith, got out. But as he took his eyes off Jesus and began looking at the storm around him, he sank. Jesus, though, grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “Why did you doubt,” He asked Peter.

It’s a valid question—for anyone.

Jesus has proven Himself to us many times over. When you feel overwhelmed, remember to call out to Him, and He will lift your burden.

Let’s pray.

Father God, sometimes it feels like life is just pulling us under. We thank you so much that we have examples from scripture where you rescued drowning people. You’re indeed our lifeguard. Help us keep this in our hearts and our minds daily so that we can be reminded of your blessed assurance and to call out your name, the one who provides for all of our needs. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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