I love the fish character, Dory, in the Disney movie Finding Nemo—the dizzy blue Tang who zips through ocean dangers intent to reach her destination by repeating to herself, Just Keep Swimming.
I said that to myself, today, when I jumped into the gym’s outdoor pool for exercise. Brrr. My body tensed as I sprung headlong into the blue liquid, first time post winter.
Halfway through the lap, water seeped into one eye. I stopped to adjust my goggles and started again. Quickly out-of-breath, I stood at the lane’s edge to take a few extra inhalations. Just keep swimming. Lap after lap, water leaked into my vision field, and I stopped to tighten the straps. Or stretch. Or breathe. And so it went… until laps extended and my body acclimated. Then comes the exhilarating glide of swimming, the flow.
The flow comes when I forget the cold, the vison, the breathing, and it morphs into joy and a world that eclipses my discomforts. Then the smooth water calms my soul, and the blue skies above add to the deep joy of my spirit as I cast my cares upon God in the world of water.
It seems like life above water is like that, too. I must adjust my attitude to believe the best in the intentional or unintentional comments of agitated friends or family. Just keep swimming.
Often, I stop to reason with myself to respond to others the way Jesus would. When I ignore my distant, unattached feelings and dive into the sometimes, seemingly cold world around me, I warm up. Just keep swimming.
As I make adjustments along the way—soon I’m enjoying the flow of the day, and the world of people, lapping through the hours with God in this glorious land called life.
The gospels record Jesus in His element, allowing interruptions and making adjustments throughout His days. He completed his goals. He pronounced to His Father and the world around Him on the cross, “It is finished.” He never seemed ruffled when people questioned His delays or altered schedule. Time adjusted with Him.
He trusted that all the Father had planned for the day was often disguised in the unplanned, at least to others. Jesus enjoyed life and people and was at ease in His own skin. He always made His destination. He just kept walking.
And now, in heaven, He just keeps praying. We never need to worry about interrupting Him in heaven. He is always ready and willing and praying…for us.
“Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25
Comments