Deep Calls to Deep

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.” ~Matthew 13:1

Last week, for the first time in a long time, I was able to throw my watch and time-keeping tendencies aside and truly sink into God’s love. I think “being still” is one of the most challenging things for me to do sometimes. I know I don’t do it nearly enough. God is obviously near us every where we are…but for some reason standing on the edge of a vast ocean..Looking out til the water blends with the heavens, your breathe is taken away. I am pretty sure I could have stayed there for days and I would have been perfectly content tossing and turning among the waves. Something struck me while I was in that ocean. It was an incredibly strong current. It was partially made that way, I’m sure, from the brewing storms out at sea. Connie and I fought hard against it but we kept inadvertently drifting away from our starting point. Finally I turned my back to the waves and just submitted to wherever they took me. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of ocean waves coming closer and could only laugh as I clumsily swam with the current. Every time one took me closer to the shore, I stubbornly swam harder and farther out. “Your waves and your breakers wash over me” (Psalm 42:7) kept repeating over and over in my head..There’s something powerful and awe-inspiring about being in the midst of something so much larger and greater than you. I thought about how Jesus is relentless. He literally pursues us with a persistent and powerful love. Sometimes when he disciplines us or keeps us from things we become angry and we fight. I know I have. But what beautiful freedom comes when we simply turn our backs to “trying to figure everything out” and succumb to his powerful force.

Psalm 42:

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul; how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan to Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of my enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Jesus, there are storms at sea...and sometimes it's easy to see them and let fear over take our focus...when our souls are in turmoil may we always, always turn to you. I don't always do that...and honestly, being still before you scares me sometimes because it means I have to stop running from everything and face it. May we never ever forget that when we do have to turn around and face it..we have you beside us..holding our hands. The storms...they make us ache, but Jesus, they also stir up the waves of your love. We will not be overcome, though at times we feel as though we are. Let us remember that we WILL praise you again..our Salvation. Our Rock. Our God.