Hold Tight!

The water is (unusually) warm; the waves brisk. My seven year old nephew and nine year old niece (visiting from Indiana) love the water and can't wait to start splashing around. The beach is filled with people on this hot summer day. The water, too, is teeming with people – children near the shore, adults a little farther out, and teenagers out near the buoy markers signaling the end of the swimming area. The sun sparkles on the water as the waves crest and crash. What a beautiful day!

The kids want to walk farther out in the water to catch the deeper waves, but they listen to my instructions to stay closer to shore. At first, they don't like my other condition: we have to hold hands. They want to splash in the waves on their own, jumping and falling in the water. They want me nearby but not too close. They want their independence.

But I know something about Lake Michigan that my niece and nephew don't yet understand. This is a large and powerful lake, with strong undercurrents that can trap even the most capable swimmer. And the swimming flag today is red, which means extra caution needs to be taken when going in the water. So even though my niece is on a swim team at home, I still require her to hold my hand. And we stay in the more shallow area of the beach – deep enough for them to splash and jump, but shallow enough for me to maintain strong footing on the sandy bottom when the waves come. And I hold their hands to keep them safe. We laugh and splash and enjoy the experience together, but I am constantly on guard for the coming waves. And when my nephew pulls away, I grab his hand. I love these children and I hold them fast.

And as I grip their hands in mine, I'm suddenly struck with the imagery – the realization that God holds me in His hand as well. Just as my niece and nephew need to trust that I know what's best in the lake and holding my hand will protect them, I need to trust that God knows what is best for me. I need to stop pulling away, trying to do things on my own, because the undercurrent of life has dangers that I'm not aware of. I need to keep my hand in God's hand and hold tight.

What a beautiful day!