“Daddy, come here! Please, come here!”
I was doing laps at the pool when the little boy shouted. He was bobbing up and down one lane over. He was secure with this floaties, but wanted his daddy close by. I heard him as I took each breath.
“Daddy… come…”
Breathe.
“… dy.. come here!”
I flipped at the end and pushed back the other way. I could see his dad swimming underneath the water, coming quickly to his son.
I swam down a lap, flipped, and swam back.
I paused there, long enough to hear the conversation between father and son.
“Why didn’t you come when I called?” The son asked, hurt and a little angry.
“I did come,” his dad said, “I came as soon as you called. You just couldn’t see me.”
I dunked back under the water and swam. I thought of all the things I’d been processing that day. Worry about school, the pandemic, racism. Worry for my adult kids, my littles, my grand babies and this broken world we all live in. I called out to my God in that, but still felt a little overwhelmed by the hopelessness that seems to be everywhere.
The father’s voice played in my head. I did come. I came as soon as you called. You just couldn’t see me.
This flood of peace came over me. I can’t protect my kids, big or little. I can’t protect my grand babies. I can’t protect them from every evil that’s out there. But God hears my voice. He is here. He is doing battle even when I can’t see him.
He is near.
And I am grateful.
5 Responses
Thank you. . Holly
Thank you for the reminder to be thankful no matter what’s going on in this fallen world. Thank God we have God and the Bible to look to for guidance and the promise of a peaceful eternity.
God must be disappointed in the chaos he sees. It’s hard for me to believe that all Americans would not be appalled at others burning the American flag, killing babies in strollers, looting, burning churches, toppling statues of Christopher Columbus, and throwing bricks at policemen.
Time to speak out on Election Day.!! Congress is “fiddling and feuding” as our country burns, heading for socialism, and the destruction of the greatest nation of all time. Wake up America, open your eyes and see the difference between good and evil.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
Edmund Burke
Thank you for writing, Judy! I love your passion for good….
Just found your blog thanks to your interview with Hannah. I’m on my third go around in DivorceCare. You were always my favorite and I like you even more now that I know you’re a swimmer. God has given me so many lessons when I’ve been staring at that black line on the bottom of the pool. Thanks for sharing this one.
Thank you so much, Victoria! Yes, swimming is so good, isn’t it? I love the rhythm – the chance to think. It does my heart good. Thanks for writing and thanks for being part of DivorceCare!