Faith Lift: Get in the Pool

Everyone has their own way of getting in the pool.  Some just jump in off the deep end.   Me, I wade in from the shallow…a freezing step at a time. 

When L.A. Fitness was open I went to Water Aerobics Monday, Wednesday and Friday to rehab my right leg from my knee replacement.  Now I ride my Trike 2-3 miles every day.

 For some reason they keep the water at LA Fitness cold.  Since it is an indoor pool we don’t have the benefit of sunshine warmth.   Gradually, my body acclimates to the cold and within 5 minutes, by the time I manage to submerge up to my neck, I am able to go through the exercises along with my other 25 senior denizens of the deep ….end.

When it comes to Faith, everyone has their own way of getting in the pool.  Some jump in off the deep end. 

The Apostle Paul was like that. 

Even though he spent his life learning the Hebrew Scriptures and had dedicated his life to following the law, he had a dramatic encounter with the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus.  He was on his way to Iraq to arrest followers of Jesus but wound up becoming one.  His entrance into the pool was dramatic.  It was shocking.  It was so radical that he was blinded for 3 days.  It took that much to get his attention. After God sent Ananias to pray for him his sight was restored.  Ironically, while in his life and ministry Jesus made the blind to see, in his risen form he made a sighted man blind.  If Paul sang Amazing Grace he’d have to sing, “was sighted but then was blind.” 

One of Paul’s disciples, Timothy, grew up in a family of followers of Jesus.  In his 2 letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “I see that the faith that was in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice now resides in you.”  Timothy was a wader like me. He was a third generation follower of Jesus.  Gradually he experienced more and more of God’s grace until his faith was fully formed as an adult.

So, whether you came to the faith by jumping in the deep end or wading in one step at a time I rejoice that as you read this you are in the pool.  Let’s not harp on how we get in; but, rejoice that we are in God’s family, no matter how we…get in the pool.  

God be with you…. Till we meet again.