The Deep: Part II

So you decide you’re tired of living on the shoreline and venture out a little deeper. You get past the breakers and find that you’re up to your neck, hanging out managing the waves like I did. You decide it’s nicer out here, no pushing and pulling, much easier, floating around, jumping over small waves. You think, “This is what God must have wanted and what he had meant when he called me deeper.” You might even be tempted to think, “Even though I can still stand on my own feet, I’m much deeper than I used to be and certainly much deeper than those people over there on the shore.” As you start to get your confidence up, you suddenly see a really big wave rolling towards you.

You start to panic. “God, you never said anything about waves this big. What am I supposed to do? I can’t jump over this one myself; I think I’ll just head back to the shore where it’s safer.” But through your panic and doubt, you hear the Lord whisper, “There isn’t time; just hang onto Me and I’ll take you through this trial because if you allow me, I am going to take you even deeper.” Well, you ignore that last part and because honestly you don’t have any other options, you put your trust in the Lord and of course, He brings you through. You are amazed that God has sustained you out here in the deep the way He did. You might even tell your friends the same way I told you about how I made it through the big one.

But there is a problem. Some people stay here in their Christian lives. They get to a place of trusting God, a place of learning, living deeper than they used to, even getting through some big trials, but for whatever reason, they decide not to go any deeper. But the Spirit’s voice will always call us on to a place of unnatural depth because it is there that we must totally depend on the supernatural sustaining power of God. And it is only in that state of total dependence that we will be able to form a consistent, lasting intimate dependence on the Father.

Eternal Lord, sustain me in the deep when trials try to sweep me away. You hold me in the palm of Your hand.

Check out: Psalm 73:23-28