The Deep End; Psalm 107; Proverbs 29

May the mumbling commence!

Do you trust God in the deep end of the pool?  Do you trust God in the midst of calm and turbulent seas?  God invites us into the deep waters… beyond our comfort zones.  Are we ready to go anywhere for God?  Read a stanza from Psalm one-hundred seven:

Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters, 

They see the works of the Lord,

And His wonders in the deep. 

For He commands and raises the stormy wind,

Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 

They mount up to the heavens,

They go down again to the depths;

Their soul melts because of trouble. 

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,

And are at their wits' end. 

Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,

And He brings them out of their distresses. 

He calms the storm,

So that its waves are still. 

Then they are glad because they are quiet;

So He guides them to their desired haven. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 

Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,

And praise Him in the company of the elders. (Verses 23-32)

Deep waters often take us where we least expect.  We give way to the powerful movements of the water – whether in times of peace or storm.  There is a phrase that I like from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series.  Bilbo tells Frodo to be careful when he leaves his doorstep.  A journey will begin, and we have no idea where our journey will take us – once we commit to the journey. 

So it is with our journey towards Christ Jesus.  When I received Christ into my life and committed my life to follow him, I had no idea that I would become a set-apart minister.  I had no idea that I would end up in Kansas… over a thousand miles away from my hometown.  The years have shown me both calm seas and stormy seas.  I have witnessed the wonderful works of God.  I see the provision of God when I didn’t know how things could possibly resolve.

Our God is a living and moving God that we can trust our journey to.  Of that fact, I am confident – both in calm and stormy seas.  Praise God.  Praise God loudly in the assembly.  Praise God before all creation without reservation or fear.  Praise God with reckless abandon!  Shove off out into the deep waters of the sea.  Dive off the high dive into the deep end of the pool.

Trust in the Lord, and realize that you are safe.  Read from Proverbs chapter twenty-nine:

The fear of man brings a snare,

But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. (Verse 25)

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out