Keep Swimming

Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill        The Rev. Nancy E. Gossling

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Luke 21:5-19

When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately,” Jesus said to his followers. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.” This was Jesus speaking to his followers many centuries ago and even to us today.

We live in terrifying times.There are threats of nuclear attacks; and at times, public figures and celebrities seem to have no boundaries. The self-appointed moral police oppress others in the name of God; people lose control of their bodies, minds, and souls and commit unspeakable acts of violence. Conspiracy theories abound through social platforms; and then, there’s Mother Nature, wiping out vulnerable people with torrential rains and devastating mudslides. 

To be honest, I’m tired of the news and the destruction all around our world. I’m tired of looking for people who speak the truth without hidden agendas, or refuse to speak up in support of others, because they fear their own personal consequences. “Beware of false prophets,” Jesus warned us. And false promises, I might add. And so I find myself in times like these looking for ways for us to “endure to the end” so that we gain “our souls.” I mean, isn’t that the end game for us all?

I just arrived back in Massachusetts yesterday, having spent the last 3 days in Nashville, Tennessee, celebrating the blessing of a marriage between two young adults. The love that they share for one another, their families, and their friends is admirable. After preparing this couple by zoom over the past year, I was deeply impressed by their diversity and the loyalty they promised to one another. At the foundation of their lives, they share some very basic core values. 

To say that it was a mixed crowd at the wedding in politics, age, class, socio-economics, and religion is an understatement. And yet the two of them stood there, exhorting and encouraging all of us with these words from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans; “hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.”

We frequently tend to hang out with people who are similar to us and for certain activities and relationships that is a good thing. And yet, regardless of our choices, I dare say that most of us are disgusted by the disrespectful dialogue, the dishonesty, and the lack of civility that is evident in our discourses. Our refusal to engage in honest but difficult conversations and debates is worrisome. 

Many of us have become distrustful about what is being reported and what is being promised by our political leaders. Some of us are fearful about the future of our country and indeed even our world. We feel guilty about our privileges and frustrated with our inability to help. And most of us feel that it will take a very long time for us to heal and to reconcile such deep and bitter divisions among us and around the world. 

“Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right,” wrote St. Paul to the Christian community in Thessalonica. And yet, I wonder, is our current time any different from those historical times long ago? Reflecting back over the ages, and how history repeats itself, no wonder we are weary!

Perhaps you’re familiar with this story. While serving our country in World War 2, before he was elected president of the United States, John F. Kennedy had to swim 3 miles to shore after his PT boat was destroyed by the enemy. With words that were sometimes encouraging, and at other times demanding, Kennedy exhorted his companions to keep on swimming, and not give up. They could see the distant land; and they hoped that they could make it. But first, they had their work cut out for them. They had to swim.

In a more recent but equally compelling story, three childhood friends had gone fishing when their 24 foot boat sank in the Gulf of Mexico, after winds and waters escalated without warning. With just life vests and coolers to stay afloat, as the storm washed them away from the oil rig to which their boat had been tied, they attempted to SOS the coast guard. Their phone battery had drained to 5% when they saw a shrimp boat in the distance. One man decided to swim alone towards it, as their last shot for a rescue. Before he left, he gave one of his life vests to his friend whose own vest was failing.

The two friends who were left behind soon began to endure shark attacks. Their life vests were ripped apart, and their ice chests began to sink. Meanwhile, the shrimp boat suddenly powered off in the opposite direction of the man who was swimming towards it. As a last ditch effort, he took a screenshot of his location and texted it to a friend on shore before his phone cut off. All three men prepared to die as they continued to fight for their lives. 

Fortunately, the text was received and the Coast Guard rescued all three of them. With deep gratitude, one man exclaimed, “Oh, man. That feeling of getting pulled out of the water was the best feeling ever. I was like “I can stop swimming. I can stop. I could really stop now.”

At times of high stress and transition, it is easy to lose our focus, or to panic, and forget the basics of how to swim in cold waters. We all know the end game will eventually come but it often takes a crisis to remind us. It may feel easier to tear things apart and to drag people down rather than doing the next right thing to make it better. “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right,” wrote St. Paul, which means we will share our life vests. We will exhort and encourage others to keep on swimming. We will hold fast to our core values. 

I know it’s hard to endure losses, life’s disappointments, or deep divisions within our own families and our country. It’s hard to watch wars and poverty from a distance and feel helpless. Yes, there will be dark nights that crowd out our distant hopes, and threats of death may encircle us in deep waters. Sometimes the Promised Land will seem very far off. Then, it appears far too close, and we feel as if we will surely drown in our own tears.

Regardless of our political party, our race or gender identity, our socio-economic or marital status, regardless of our positions within our own families, communities, businesses or church, we are very much like those 1st Christian communities. We too can see the unjust political, economic, and religious systems that are crushing hard-working and faithful people. Like the people in Thessalonica, it can be tempting for us to become mere busybodies, all talk and no action. It is easy to become weary. 

So when we’re feeling as if our lifeboats are too small, and we’ve lost the energy to keep on swimming, we can remember to keep it simple. We can focus on doing the next right thing, remembering that Jesus is our ultimate life-jacket, and the Spirit of God’s power will keep us afloat.

The day that Jesus claims is coming belongs to God alone. And that time is both now and not yet. “Do not be terrified,” Jesus said. “Not a hair on your head will perish; and by your endurance you will gain your souls.” Stones and temples and churches and buildings, indeed even our relationships, may crumble but the Master Architect has the blueprints to our life and saving our souls is part of God’s plan.

The promises of God are eternal.The presence of God is everlasting. We have been tied to an oil rig that will not sink. If anyone asks you about the challenges that we face, that will be your opportunity to testify that God is with us, swimming one stroke at a time, one breath at a time, until we reach that distant shore. So keep on swimming dear friends in Christ until Jesus pulls you out of the water. Then and only then can you stop swimming.