Drowning | Weekend Word

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" (Luke 8:24 NIV)

When I was 12, our church youth group went on a canoe trip down a local river. I was in a canoe with two friends—none of us had any experience. Halfway through the trip, we had fallen behind the rest of the group. In our panic to catch up, we paddled to the wrong side of the river and got caught in a fast-moving current. 

Before we knew it, the current shoved us into a pile of logs jammed in the center of the river. The water was deep—far deeper than we were tall—and waves began crashing into our canoe. We tried frantically to free ourselves, but in our struggle, the canoe capsized. Two of us were thrown into the water; the third clung to the logs. 

I could swim, so I wasn’t afraid—at first. I kicked my legs and pushed upward, breaking the surface just enough to get a breath. But before I could inhale, the current yanked me under again. The second time I surfaced, I barely caught a glimpse of light before being pulled even deeper. This time, I didn’t come right back up. I kicked as hard as I could, but I wasn’t rising. I was out of breath. The sun above looked like a tiny light at the end of a tunnel as everything around me started going dark. In that terrifying moment, I cried out in my spirit, “Jesus, save me!” 

I don’t remember what happened next. The next thing I knew, I was draped across the overturned canoe, with the warmth of the sun glowing on my back. Neither of my friends had helped me—they weren’t close enough. To this day, I believe with all my heart that Jesus saved me from drowning. 

So when I read this passage in Luke, I understand the panic in the disciples' voices. Maybe you’ve never almost drowned in a river—but you know what it feels like to be drowning in fear, sorrow, anxiety, or hopelessness. Maybe you’ve even felt it while serving during a church event. You’ve been trying to stay afloat, but the current of life keeps pulling you under. You're out of strength, out of air, and wondering if this is the end. 

If that’s you, I invite you to pray the same prayer I did: “Jesus, save me!”  

As you serve this week, keep calling on Jesus. Don’t hide your struggle and make time to talk with your team leader, pastor, or parents. Let them pray with you.

As I finish up this devotional I am praying for you too. 

Weekend Word by: Rev. Kieth Garner