Dive In!

While staying on retreat last March, our rooms had a beautiful view overlooking the bay.

We could see lots of activity among the geese as they swam and frolicked in the water.

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My friend, Connie, shared with me something that she had noticed about the geese.

She saw many of the geese diving down into the water even though there was ample food along the shoreline. She said that it must be that the food in the water is the good stuff. And so rather than settle for the easy way, the geese made the effort to dive down deep to get the better morsels. Just like we should dive down deep for the good stuff in God's Word. .

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Oswald Chambers said, "Good is the enemy of best." If we settle for what's good, we miss out on what's best.

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When it comes time for reading the Bible, sometimes we skim the surface rather than dive in to find deeper meaning. But the good stuff is down deep!

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When we learn that it was in prison that Paul said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" it means more than if he was writing these words from the comfort of his home.

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When we learn the meaning of the words in their original language, they take on new meaning. For example, the parts of the armor of God in Ephesians 6 include the "sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God." All the other parts of the armor are defensive (helmet, shield, etc.) The sword (God's Word) is our only offense. But the word for sword does not mean a large saber-type sword. No, it is a small sword, like a scalpel, to be used an instrument of healing removing that which is detrimental to our health, not as a machete to hurt someone.

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Down deep, we find the history of the times in which the words were recorded. And the geneologies that we so often skip over contain nuggets of insight, like the fact that there is a harlot (Rahab) in the line of David and Jesus.

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It's worthwhile to dive down deep to be fed spiritually on the Word. The Bible refers to itself as our spiritual food. Babies eat milk, not meat, because they can't digest it. But as they mature, they move on to meatier, more complex things. And so should we.

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Along that same line, we should not be discouraged if we don't understand some of what we read in the Bible. We just haven't grown to that point yet, but it's something to look forward to. What we don't want is to settle for less than best.

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The words from "Dive" by Steven Curtis Chapman say:

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I’m diving in,

I’m going deep

In over my head,

I want to be

Caught in the rush,

lost in the flow,

in over my head,

I want to go

The river’s deep,

the river’s wide,

the river’s water is alive

So sink or swim, I’m diving in

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There is a supernatural power

In this might river’s flow

It can bring the dead to life

And it can fill an empty soul

And give a heart the only thing

Worth living and worth dying for, yeah

But we will never know the awesome power

Of the grace of God

Until we let ourselves get swept away

Into this holy flood

So if you’ll take my hand

We’ll close our eyes and count to three

And take the leap of faith

Come on let’s go

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So friends, let's go! Won't you dive in deep with me and discover the amazing truths found in His Word.

Susan