A FISH TALE

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.  Psalms 46:1-3

With a quarter in his little hand, my son Stephen headed out the door for his last day of first grade. When he returned home with a big grin, he held up his purchase for his dad and me to see. It was a plastic baggie filled with water and a small goldfish.  We had an empty fish tank, so we cleaned it, added rocks, a purification pump, and water. Now the little goldfish had a home in the tank in our living room. Little did I know the fortitude of that tiny fish.

Second grade went by, then third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Now Stephen was ready to enter middle school, and the fish in the tank still lived. One day when we returned home, we found the goldfish on the floor in the middle of the living room. My heart dropped. He must have jumped out of his tank. I am surprised the cat did not eat him. I thought for sure he was dead. I do not know how long he laid there. When I picked him up, he still displayed a little life. I put him back in the tank. The fish floated on his side, a sign of death, but I could still see his little gills flapping ever so slowly.

Sometimes our problems can feel so insurmountable that we thrash about  like a fish out of water. We can hardly breathe, much less make any rational decisions. We fight and fight until almost all life has been sucked out of us. When we find ourselves in this situation, it’s good to have Christ in our heart and scripture in our head.  

We can remember verses such as Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:26, 2 Corinthians 12: 9, or Hebrews 13:5. Look them up in your Bible. With a click of a button, you can do a search on your computer for Bible verses to help you with all kinds of problems. Claim them as your own personal messages from God.

Stephen’s goldfish ended up turning a white color as he lost all his scales and part of his tail. He swam sideways for several days, and my son would take his finger and poke him down in the water as he would resurface on his side. But guess what? The little guy made it! He went on to live another two years. And this is not a fish tale; It’s true!  

It’s also true that trials are much easier to face when we allow Jesus Christ to pick us up off the floor and place us in His refreshing healing waters. He will lovingly poke us back into His life-giving pools of love to mend, heal, and revive us, once again.

Dear Jesus, Come and be with me through good times and bad times. Help me to always focus on you. Amen