«He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters» (Psalm 18: 16). I (J) was nineteen years old when I almost drowned to death. That afternoon, there was nothing planned on the camp schedule and my friend Felix and I decided to sail in a pirogue or canoe (a light narrow small boat, usually propelled by paddling) deep in the lake. It was the Entrepenas Reservoir, built on the channel of Tagus River in the Central Plateau of Spain, with an area of more than 3,000 hectares. The water was calm and the sky partly cloudy. Two kilometers away from the shore, we decided to jump in the water to cool down from the midday heat and to swim around the canoe. When we started to jump, the boat flipped over. We flipped it back but realized that water had gotten into the canoe. We turned it over again to drain the water but instead more water got in. Felix decided to hold on to the semi-floating canoe. %inking that it would sink, I started swimming toward the shore. As I was swimming back to shore, I noticed swirling currents under the water that prevented me from swimming with ease. After a few minutes, I got a cramp in my left leg and later in my right. In the depths of my despair, I screamed: «Help! Help! » I was shouting for help while trying to keep myself afloat, but I soon realized that I could not do it much longer. I entrusted myself to God and accepted the fact that at any time my strength would wane and that it would be the end of my life. A few minutes later, I saw an outboard motor boat approaching and a man held out his hand, grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the water. Then he rescued Felix and this is how we were both saved. He was a neighbor who had heard my voice from the bank and came to our rescue. I do not understand how he could have heard me from such a distance, unquestionably, it was God—who always hears me in my troubles—who took the sound to my neighbor so that he could rescue us. These minutes of agony seemed like hours. However, this experience improved my resilience. It helped me meditate upon God’s divine mercy and the opportunity the Lord gave me to be reborn. In moments of discouragement, I remembered the bitter experience and it kept me going, knowing that God saved me from death and would keep protecting me according to His will. Perhaps you are dealing with difficult moments: health, relationships, work or spiritual crisis. Maybe you are frightened by an upcoming affliction. Whatever the threat is, the Lord is ready to save you and make you stronger to face greater challenges by His grace.
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Taken from: Daily Devotions for Adults 2020
“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine”
From: Julian Melgoza-Laura Fidanza
Colaboradores:Ricardo Vela & Alejandra Zavala