The Empty Pool

Dan was preparing for the Olympics Games. He was a specialist diver for the 10 metre diving board event.  I admire people who can expertly dive from the 10 metre board. I have an extension ladder which reaches 7 metres and I find that high enough when I am working at the top of it!

Dan had some very vague notion about the existence of a god  but he was comfortable with  leaving the god question until he was much older – after all he was an Olympic athlete preparing to represent his country – he had years of healthy living ahead of him.  But Dan did have a good friend who occasionally talked about Jesus Christ to him.

Dan regularly practiced his diving in the evening.   Because he was preparing for the Olympics, he had special privileges and he could use the pool even when it was closed to the public. .  On this occasion the lights were off  because the auditorium  was closed but it had a glass ceiling and walls and there was a full moon that night and he could see reasonably well.   He climbed up to the top of the diving platform, turned around to do his first dive backwards and stretched out his arms. 

In stretching his arms horizontally he noticed the silhouetted shadow of the cross on the wall in front of him. The moon was shining from behind him.  The shape of the cross was so clearly and starkly  portrayed  that he was reminded  of the stories his good friend had told  him about Jesus Christ, Son of God, who came to earth as a babe – who lived an amazing life without sin. He was put on a cross, arms outstretched,  by those who hated Him and there He died a horrible death. His blood was shed as a once-for-all sacrifice – so taking the punishment for our sin – but effective only if we confess our sin and choose to follow and obey Jesus. 

Dan was reminded of his friend’s stories of God’s love for us in sending His Son to die for us. His friend had also reminded him that unless he repented of his sin and turned and followed Jesus then one day he would face God’s judgement (Hebrews 9:27)

Dan looked at the shadow of the cross and for the first time in his life he understood what the death of Jesus on the cross actually meant for him.   He realized that Jesus Christ had died for him.  That is how much God loved him.  And in that moment on the 10 metre  diving platform, he kneeled down,  prayed, and made a commitment to  follow Jesus Christ. 

Dan was still kneeling there in the semi dark when a janitor walked in and  flipped on the light.  It startled Dan.  He glanced down and he saw that the pool was empty.               Un-beknown to him the pool was being repaired.

How grateful he was that he had kneeled down and made that decision to follow Jesus. 

Bruce Stewart