We live in an apartment community and our pool has a "strict" policy that all children under the age of 10 must wear a life vest when in the pool area.  Except of course when there is no life guard around. Last night hubby and I took our three children over to the pool.  I was watching my four year old swimming around in her vest like she was born to swim.  Then I had an idea.  No life guard around, let me take off your vest and see how well you do without it.  She fought and she fought it.  But we did manage to get the vest off and her back in the water. She would not let go and swim!  She had been depending so much on the vest that she did not know how to swim without it.  I could tell that if she really tried she would have done just fine.  But she was so scared without her vest. And the thought came to me.  How much like our spiritual lives.  God is there for us, telling us that we can do it, all we need to do is trust in Him.  But we are so unwilling to take off our vests and swim to Him. What vests are there in your life that you can take off?  My biggest is food.  I unfortunately have found that food is one of my best friends.  It does not reject me when I'm down.  It is always there.  It is a good listener.  But, it is time for me to take off that vest and start depending on God.  He is there and with Him alone will I be able to swim. Please Lord, teach me to swim with You and You alone.  Help me to take off my vests and depend totally on You.

TAKING OFF THE VEST