Nougat 15

As if the deep waters were not enough, there are guaranteed moments of undiluted, overwhelming stress. Now I know that I am the one who told you that the Bible says that trouble are par for the course in the believer’s life; but it surely doesn’t mean I have to like it!

Despite being an island girl, I am no swimmer. I love water – so much. But from a safe and respectful distance, as I have zero intention of drowning! I tried it a few times before, albeit unintentionally, and it was not a fun experience. Take it from me – that drowning bit is horrible, if only from a near miss perspective.

Literally, there’s that sense of being in over your head, and in my instance, I was painfully aware that I was not yet at the sea bottom.

I panicked.

And I started to pray, out loud – and the inhalation-choking process had me closing my mouth. Of course the salty water reminded me of my circumstances. As a non-swimmer, non-floater

I was a goner

Then I saw something I could hold onto as leverage.

It was flimsy – no such luck

Not sure how, but I bobbed to the surface and I started screaming again.

Except that I was back under the water! If you think I’d panicked before – you should see my mind then! My memory reverted to the stories of drowning – there’s only one more opportunity for me to bob to the surface before I was gone. I think my entire life might have flashed in front of me, but it really didn’t matter. I knew it was over!

But God

For I was suddenly up above the water, sputtering. Unknown to me, my siblings missed me and found help to rescue me when I bobbed up the second time. I was swum to shore and laid on the sand. Yet there was water coming from everywhere you can imagine. I was so certain that I was still drowning. So, they then had to pump the water out to ensure that I wasn’t at risk of drowning from the water I’d ingested. I was like a full sponge being squeezed dry: coughing up water, water from my ears and nostrils, passing out water from every orifice; including my eyes. Whether from fear, relief or both – I don’t recall.

But here I am, some decades after that harrowing experience assuring us that whether it is a literal drowning moment of difficulty, or the real life moments that come our way, today’s Holy Nougat gives us the blessed assurance that God’s not only with us, but that we survive to thrive and help another.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be encouraged; and call on Emmanuel! May God’s grace be tangibly ours even when we are in the rivers of difficulty.

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May all we seek be found in Christ