Swimming has long been a popular summer activity. It also is an activity that can have a spiritual dimension. In the creation account in Genesis 1, God's breath sweeps across the waters (v. 2). God's promise to Noah took the form of a rainbow, and God used the waters of the Red Sea to save the Israelites from Pharaoh's approaching army. Elisha healed Naaman by instructing him to wash himself seven times in the River Jordan. Jesus' baptism by John (also in the Jordan) initiated his earthly ministry; and, in his final instructions to his disciples, Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Water—particularly the water of baptism—remains an important symbol for Christians today. Baptism is a Christian's initiation into the body of Christ, the church. It is a sign of God's grace and of God's claim on one's life. A dip in the pool is a great way to cool off or to get some exercise, but it can also serve as an informal way to remember one's baptism. If you have been baptized, go for a swim and remind yourself that you have been washed by the waters of baptism and that God has claimed you and called you to do the work of his kingdom.