The Deep End of the Pool

“…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

In the lovely community where I live, there is a giant pool. I mean HUGE!! It has been there since the 1930s and appears to be a quarry type location that has been transformed into a pool. This winter, as I was walking my dog along the sidewalk by the pool, the city emptied it for cleaning. Good gracious was this pool deep! I think it registers at 15 feet deep at its deepest point! As I go by it these days in the summer heat, I don’t see too many people playing around in the deep end of the pool. The shallow end of the pool seems to be way more fun. There is a lovely, partially shaded sandy beach, several water spouts shooting water into the air – a great place for little people to splash around. At the next junction where it gets a bit deeper, that’s where you see the older kids playing. There was an intense version of Marco Polo going on the other day when I went past. Then, the water gets ever so slightly deeper. This is where the slide is located. This is where the cool kids go. Not too many takers on the slide. But out in the deep end, now, that’s fun. There are floating platforms for the ultra cool to sit on and gaze at everyone else splashing around in the water. This portion of the pool has, probably, 6 lifeguards. Each one has their eyes trained on the entire pool, but particularly the deep end.

So, what does this idyllic scene have to do with spiritual truths?

In our “Christian” world today, I feel like there aren’t too many people venturing out into the deep end of the pool. Most of the “believers” are splashing around in the safety of the shallow end – to one grade or another. Oh, they might dip their toe in the end where the slide is at, but they aren’t quite brave enough to go down the slide. Not many people are willing to jump into deep waters and swim to the platforms. No, it’s much safer, much more comfortable to stay where your feet can reach. Going out into the darker water puts people at risk. They may need to depend upon someone to get them to safety and that’s just a place they don’t want to go.

When you do Bible reading at home, when you take time out of your schedule to make the choice to dive into some place uncomfortable, like a minor prophet or something, you run the risk of needing a lifeguard. You may/will need guidance to understand and apply what you are reading. But man oh man, the blessings from sitting on the floating platform! Things look different from the deep end. It’s open. It’s bright. You have choices there. Oh, you still have great responsibility to how you got there. But God would never lead you to somewhere He never intended for you to go.

What I want to say here is this – don’t be afraid of the deep end. Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you from exploring God’s Word. Don’t let your insecurities keep you from learning. Be brave. Jump in with both feet. I promise, sitting on the platform at the deep end of the pool is totally worth it!

Ain’t God Good!

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, Neither have entered into the heart of man, The things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-12

As a little girl, I loved to sing at church. One of the songs that I vividly remember singing is the old song – “Ain’t God Good”. The chorus, that I sang, goes like this –

Ain’t God Good To give us so many blessings. Undeserving that’s what we are. We ought to, thank Him, love and praise Him A little more today, A whole lot more tomorrow.

I haven’t been very good about reading my Bible lately. That’s a me problem but they say confession is good for the soul – so there it is. And obviously, I haven’t been very good about writing my blog (see above).

But here I am, after reading my verses for today, I had to write. God was just like – Here you go. Make it happen.

Oh my, the blessings in my life. I cannot begin to count or describe them. We are getting close to the closing on our house (can I get a hallelujah!!). And as I go day by day, I see His hand more and more. And truthfully, it isn’t necessarily seen in the completion of items on my house to-do list. No, it’s more in me. I am seeing a level of peace that truly passes understanding and reasoning. God has given me this “trust in Him” peace that, boy, I don’t know, looks crazy.

When I read these Scriptures, a few things come to mind. 1) We can’t possibly imagine the things that God has in store for those who trust Him. 2) There is no way we could identify blessings in our life without the aide of the Holy Spirit because… 3) The Holy Spirit is the One that acts as our conduit to God. He is the One that relays the things of God to us.

You know, I don’t know why God would want to bless me. As I mentioned earlier, I have failed Him and neglected Him to the point where, if it was me, I would have given up on me. But He doesn’t. He forgives me when I ask for it. He restores me. And then I start seeing Him at work in my life because my heart is finally in the place where I can see and acknowledge it.

Ain’t God good, I ask you?