Saturday, June 23, 2007

you can't swim with your feet on the bottom...

"When I was learning to swim, the swimming instructor
used to shout, "For goodness' sake take your feet off
the bottom!' Sometimes it's like that in our Christian life...
we're scared of getting out of our depth, but it's impossible
to learn to swim that way. Our feelings let us down, telling
us that this is not us - we're never going to be good swimmers,
never going to do much for God. but God... takes the ordinary and
makes it extrodinary, and that is exactly what happens to us when we
give our lives into his hands..."
(Clare Blake: Diary of an [extra] ordinary woman)
I'm sure you all know where I'm headed with this I'm rather obvious really! I went into Upminster Christian bookshop on Wednesday not because I wanted anything but coz I was walking past and decided to stop (or God nudged me.....) this book caught my eye just from the quote above I love that anaolgy. We can't learn to swim with our feet walking along the bottom of the pool. We can't learn to drive without lessons and reading books to help us we can't pass our test without practice. We're humans we're not perfect we can try and fail, try again then fail as long as we keep trying and don't give up we will learn to be what God wants us to be. Funnily enough God knows what He's doing... He created us... He can see more than we can... we just need to get on with trusting His plans and yes tht means lifting up your feet even if it means you feel like your drowning for a bit. If we're doing what He wants we wont fail....

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

but how do u know if your doing what he wants?? because that last little sentence said "if your doing what he wants you wont fail" but if you dont know if your doing what he wants you might be puting all your passion and heart into the thing your doing but because it's not what god wants your guna fail??? how can you ever be so sure??
havent seen u in ages... hope your ok.

Liz said...

It all comes back to God's plan for the world, don't you think? If what you are doing is in line with that, doesn't compromise your integrity and character and, as a bonus, is something you enjoy... than that's cool!

Failure is also actually sometimes what we need to keep us humble and searching GOd's heart for what needs doing.

One kid in FOJ asked me how can GOd talk to him when 'he's up there ( pointing up) and I'm down here' and it's kind of the same question you are asking. We tell the kids, because it's true, that God can communicate in millions of ways, through others( at least 999,500 ways here!) through his word, through the words of a song etc.

Keep listening, He's really talking to you :)

Anonymous said...

yea i believe god does comunicate with us... im not denying that at all, i just dont get how you can distinguish the future you want with the future god wants... surley not all the bits are going to coincide??!! when ur at a crossroads in your life for example how do u know which way to go.. unless it is simply you do what u want and god will always find a way to bring you to where he wants eventually if you went the wrong way??!!!

Liz said...

One word - Jonah!!...and he couldn't swim either

Jenny said...

I remember my dad often saying that you don't always realise how much you have been doing what God wants you to do until you look back. I think if you pray through the choices you have then God will honour that and He is in charge! and will certainly let you know if you have made the wrong choice.
Yes Jude(ith!) we have to take our feet off the bottom of the pool and trust that God knows what he is doing.

Unknown said...

23rd June?! Miss Fox - what ias that about? I keep checking, but to no avail!

Anonymous said...

jude man, i keep looking on your blog to see if uve blogged yet and each time i notice you havent and each time that title of ur last blog hits over again!! "you cant swim with your feet on the bottom" ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok!!

Liz said...

Jude, hope you are ok and that Camp Beaumont hasn't turned you into a zombie yet. Was heartened to see pics of you ALIVE at the weekend.Tell us about your blisters PLEASE!!

Unknown said...

JUDE! WHAT'S GOING ON?!?!?!?!?! WHERE ARE YOU?