She can't remember when the darkness came.
She remembers coming to the water. It was cool and
refreshing. She remembers running quickly through the shallow water, diving
deep and swimming for several yards
before surfacing. Rolling over on her back, she had rested on top of the water.
It was nice, peaceful. The sun was bright, the sky blue. She had just lain
there, gently moving her hands and feet only enough to keep herself afloat. The
waves lapped at her sides, occasionally splashing her face. She felt free.
Now, it was dark and the shore had disappeared in that
darkness. How long had she been here in the dark? She shifted quickly. No
longer was she resting on her back. Now she was treading water frantically,
searching the darkness. How had she gotten here? No, the better question was:
where was she?
She swam for several minutes in one direction, hoping she'd
find shallow waters. At least then she'd know she was close to land, right? No.
Nothing. So off in another direction. Maybe this would be the way. Still
nothing.
Now she could feel the seaweed wrapping itself around her
legs. The more she struggled to escape, the more entangled she became. She
fought the darkness, she fought the seaweed, she fought... She must save
herself!
Exhausted, she ceased fighting. Was it time to give up? She
hung in the water, finally still.
A faraway sound. Voices. Singing. Perhaps she wasn't
so far from the shore after all. What were they singing? "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..."
She listened to the song and remembered the light. How warm
it had been on her face. "Save me!" she cried. "Help me!"
Her cry pierced the darkness.
Now in the distance she heard a sound like thunder. The
sound neared and a light shone down spotlighting her in the water. Soon the
rescue team had harnessed her and the helicopter was lifting her to safety.
As she rose, she noticed the sunrise on the horizon. It
was going to be a beautiful day.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me. ~Psalm 18:16-19
