The Lifeguard

My son, Ken, is a senior music pastor in Illinois. It's always comforting to talk with him. He is becoming less like a son and more like my pastor everyday.

Today I was talking with him about some problems. He promised to pray for me and then he gave me a great illustration.

One day at the beach a man was standing on the shore watching his friend. Suddenly his friend had a problem and began to flap his arms and scream for help.

A lifeguard came and stood by the first man, folded his arms and watched the man flapping in the water. "What are you doing standing here. Can't you see my friend is in distress. Why aren't you rushing out to save him?"

Without removing his eyes from the swimmer the lifeguard replied. "I have to wait. If I rush out there right now, he will fight with me."

"But what if he drowns? What if you can't get to him?"

The lifeguard dropped his arms poised to rush into the sea. "I can get to him in seconds, but if I try to help him now, he could cause both of us to go under. He still thinks he can do it by himself. I have to wait until he gives up. Then I can save him."

Ken pointed out that many times we ask for God's help but we are still holding on to our own ideas. It's probably spiritually correct for us to throw off "all" of our possible solutions and give God a free hand to "save" us in His way and His time.

How did that kid get so smart?

God loves you,

Debbie