My Lifeguard

This one is heavily inspired by Sophie’s blog post called “They Kept Asking How Depression Felt” and Miriam’s “Life’s Currents.” I love how water is used in both poems to paint with such vivid color how life can pull one down; and how depression feels in Sophie’s poem, and how Jesus can lift us back up in Miriam’s. 🙂 They inspired me to write about my experience with Him being the Lifeguard. Am I saying that I’m no longer depressed? No. Am I saying that life doesn’t get me down anymore? No. But when it gets really bad, I know that He will never leave me to drown. 🙂

I’m afraid to cross the deep stormy sea
But I climb into the boat anyway
Slowly untie and let the sails free
Say a prayer and from the dock, sail away

It is not always smooth sailing
Life likes to throw storms at us
And make us beached fish, flailing
When all we need is our Jesus

A fierce storm comes and rocks the boats
The waves come over the sides to flood
The ocean laughs and threatens and gloats
That it will be the end of me for good

Try to bail out the boat but it sinks like a stone
I do not want to jump out but I cannot stay here
Never in my life have I felt more alone
Is it possible to drown in my own tears?

I am forced to abandon ship and try to not drown
I pray to God to help me reach the far away shore
I weaken and take on water, starting to sink down
I see Him standing above, and I do not fear anymore

When I fall into the depressive waves
He is the Lifesaver Who walks on the water
Reaches in His loving hand and saves
He is the Son, sent from our Heavenly Father

I hold the faith that He knows best, for He is my Parent
He sometimes keeps me at the surface so I’ll swim
He lets me struggle and thrash about in the current
So that I may become stronger in this life and in Him

Someday I will walk beside Him on the water, if only I believe
But first I have to be strong enough to not sink to my knees
There is no room for doubt; this with crystal clarity I perceive
I know my Lord will always be there for me on the stormy seas

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