At the end of this month the school’s break up for the Summer holidays, and I am sure that those who have been taking GCSE exams and A levels are certainly relieved to come to the end of the school year and be able to take a few weeks break before getting back into the thick of it again in September. We, as a family, like many others, are hoping we might be able to get away for a week or two at that time, now that our daughter has finished her exams.

If we are by the sea, I do enjoy swimming with a snorkel and being able to look under the surface of the sea. Fish and crabs and so on, getting about their normal lives; seemingly oblivious of my presence. A couple of times we have in the past been able to go abroad on holiday to the Mediterranean, and how different it is there. The sea is so clear and the fish so colourful, it is truly wonderful.

Being that I enjoy snorkelling so much I have always desired to be able to go scuba diving. To actually be under the water with the fish; swimming alongside them; the freedom to just move about underwater as I wish. I wasn’t able to actually do that, but a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to a Scuba diving taster session. Not quite in the sea, but in Stonar School’s swimming pool. It was such fun to do, and felt such freedom, to actually be breathing and swimming underwater. It really was an amazing experience and makes me realise just how much I would enjoy being able to be in a natural environment with all the marine life around. It would be like being in another world altogether. Oh well I can always dream of such days.

Whilst being able to swim under the sea would be like being in another world we can in the Bible read of another world (Heaven) that The Lord has prepared for those that love Him and have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It says in the first letter of Paul to the Corinthian Church in chapter 2 verse 9 that: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”

No matter how wonderful the world around us may be, Heaven far exceeds it and is beyond anything we could ever imagine, and it is something each of us could experience if we would turn to Him. Far exceeding the beauty and joy of scuba diving I would say.

Pastor John Schofield