We’ve recently returned from a holiday in Sorrento on the Amalfi coast of Italy. Though we enjoyed ourselves, the weather was rather hotter than we’d hoped: I always struggle with temperatures above 23⁰, particularly if the humidity is high too.
The day I started drafting this blog post saw the highest recorded temperature for the first day of the Wimbledon tennis championships. We had hoped that we’d return from Italy to lower temperatures and lower humidity but that was not to be.
Fortunately, our holiday hotel had a pool, so I was able to cool off in the late afternoons, even though I couldn’t resist swimming as energetically as possible, rather than simply floating or sculling from one end of the pool to the other!
Before the holiday, due to wrongly prescribed medication, I was feeling very unwell, and each day became a real struggle both physically and spiritually. I felt I was floundering; almost drowning at times Fortunately, since returning, I’ve started to feel much better.
During one of my recent prayer times, a picture came to me of walking through a very narrow river valley between high hills. The stream at the bottom of the valley was almost dried up so I was trudging through deep mud, hardly able to take the next step, which is just how I have been feeling over the past few months.
Then the end of the valley appeared in the distance and I could sense Jesus walking alongside me with words of encouragement. He knew that I was on the right path and would get to the end of the valley eventually.
I reread some of my favourite words, an extract from a short (and I think, anonymous) text titled “I am the Lord of Love” which I found when I visited Penhurst Retreat Centre in Sussex:
“Do not rush ….. do not fret ….. do not panic….
Just rest and wait ….. and wait and rest.
Let the water flow on ….. carrying you.” *
and then, perhaps inevitably, read Psalm 23 with its familiar, comforting words:
“He leads me beside quite waters,
He refreshes my soul.” **
I saw another scene: Jesus and me floating in a small, natural pool, enjoying the sunshine, laughing together as the current spun us around.
During the week after my holiday I went swimming at my local leisure centre. On what was a hot day, I shunned the outdoor pool in favour of the quieter, indoor one. As I swam, somewhat breathlessly, up and down I consciously pictured Jesus swimming alongside me, as we enjoyed both the cool water and one another’s company.
This leisure centre pool is divided into three lanes: fast, medium and slow. I sometimes wonder whether if the pool represented our spiritual lives, which lane would we chose to swim in?
The Fast lane? To me, that’s for people who’ve been Christians for many years and can quote a Bible verse for every situation. Even the bow waves of those swimmers can sometimes seem too much to deal with.
The Medium lane? Maybe that’s for those gaining confidence in their faith and perhaps encouraging others. Sometimes, on a good day and if there aren’t too many other swimmers around to compare myself with, I feel that I could fit in there.
Or theSlow lane? For those just starting out, sometimes bumping into obstacles, sometimes out of their depth. Or those, who, like me like to keep within their comfort zone with space to practice at my own pace but with the opportunity to sometimes surprise myself.
Although I’m not a very competent swimmer, I enjoy the freedom of being in the water, feeling confident that I’ll stay afloat however inexpert my technique may be.
When COVID restrictions eased slightly during 2021 and swimming sessions resumed, a fourth lane was created temporarily. It was called Just Swim. Anyone was welcome, whatever their speed and ability. It could get a bit chaotic with some people floundering around while others streaked by but people were generally very considerate to one another.
I used to think of that as God’s Lane. He wants us all to be free to be ourselves as he made us and his love supports us just as the water supports swimmers.
As I finish this blogpost, the weather has got a little cooler and less humid so I feel a lot more comfortable. In addition, I’m enjoying emerging from the muddy valley of ill health I’ve been trudging through, into a place of refreshment and renewal. Including taking some dips with Jesus. Do try it, whether you’re feeling hot and bothered or just feeling you’re trudging through one of life’s muddy times. It’s so refreshing ….. and you don’t even need to get wet!
*From an anonymous text. If anyone recognises this, please let me know so I can acknowledge the author.
**New International Version – UK
Sunlight Through the Shadows 