The Spot

 

“The Spot” was a place on the lake near us that many people went swimming when I was a kid in the fifties. When summer did not offer any relief from the sultry afternoons in central Illinois, you could see carloads of people heading for this fun destination. Unfortunately, there was no air conditioning except in the dime store uptown to escape to and hide in until the onslaught of blistering temperatures subsided. Sitting on a blanket on the bank, parents kept a watchful eye on those they brought, usually their kids as well as the neighbor kids. Bobbing heads were everywhere to the point that I’m sure it was hard to keep track of everyone, and eyes strained to keep up.

I remember one such day in my life that I could well have been a casualty of this chaotic scene. I couldn’t swim but walked happily to the warm water with the crowd that was already splashing about with great fun and laughter. Myself, bobbing with the waves, did not realize that I was getting out over my head. My little toes reached to touch the muddy bottom, but in vain, I realized that the safety of the more shallow water was several feet toward the bank. Among so many, no one noticed that I could not keep my head above water that I was in great danger of drowning. I kicked and sputtered to no avail for quite some time until my toes finally touched. I don’t believe I ever told anyone until now about that scary time in my childhood, but the movie reels in my head relive it once in a while when I see happy people bobbing in the water.

Sometimes as we struggle alone to touch the bottom to right ourselves, no one notices our struggle. Just one among many in the sea of humanity, we try desperately to get back to the shore from where we have drifted. Subtly yet indeed surely, we begin to see God far off. Alarmed at first, we head back that way, but the pull of worldly cares lures us away. As I, we sometimes innocently drift, not paying attention to our attitudes changing or our good habits waning at the call of other things. Our head bobs under time and time again, threatening our spiritual well-being.

Peter turned his back on Jesus and denied he knew him three times; earlier that evening, our Savior predicted that Peter would do this very thing, but added, “So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32

So turn towards shore to the waiting arms of Jesus and rejoice as those little toes touch solid ground. Then strengthen a drifting brother or sister.