Keep Swimming – Devotion 187 – SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

One of my all-time favorite movies is Finding Nemo. I mean, what’s not to love? There is adventure and suspense. There are good and bad – people that want the good for you and some that just do not. Nemo has what most would consider a really difficult start to life – dis-ability and loss of his mom. Yet, he moves forward. And to top it all off – Nemo is orange (my favorite color). So it is all good. But one of the classic lines comes from Dory (the forgetful but adorable friend to all) – “Just keep swimming”. I think of this line often. I say this line in my mind often. Some days, I don’t want to keep swimming. I want to, instead, stay in bed and call it a day before it gets started. Some days I want to swim somewhere else for a vacation. But ultimately, I find the most value when I just keep swimming in the direction God is leading. It isn’t the easy way. But it is the right way.

Following God, for me, is the way of love. It is the way of showing kindness where there has been hatred. It is the way of encouraging rather than tearing down. It is the way of welcome rather than exclusion. But it is the difficult way all too often. I mess up. I get angry and frustrated. I have days when I go off and I should keep my mouth shut (ok – there may a lot of these days). I am not saying I get it right or that I am the example. I am saying Jesus is the example so I am doing my best to follow him. And in doing so, even on my worst days, I just keep swimming.

Which direction are you heading today? May you follow God in the way of love. May you find peace in the middle of the mess. May you find joy in the heap of sorrow. And may you just keep swimming with God as your guide. There is still so much ahead…and it is good.

Focus Scripture:

³You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
    for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
⁴take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
⁵Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.