Deeper
Few places are the source of so many giggles as the children’s splashpad. The sprinkling, bubbling water is so fun and refreshing. I remember watching my own children running and chasing each other through the water. The splashpad was a great summer afternoon activity: no danger of tides or currents, no chance of the kids venturing out to water that was over their head, just pure joy. When I was a kid there were no splashpads. We had the garden hose connected to the sprinkler. My brother and I had so much fun running back and forth over the grass, some of my purest Michigan summer memories.
Sprinklers are fun, but our next-door-neighbors had a swimming pool. Each morning I would ask my mom for permission to go in the neighbor’s pool if they invited me because we were not allowed to go without an invitation. She always said yes, and then I would spend the day waiting and hoping. While the sprinkler was fun, I sure wanted to jump in and swim in the deep water of that swimming pool. The backyard sprinkler and the splashpad provide fun and enjoyment, and true refreshing from actual water, but there came a time when I outgrew the sprinklers and the deep water called to me. I saw others swimming, jumping off diving boards even, and I did not want to be left behind.
It was my dad who taught me to swim. He would take me on “rides” across the pool on his back while I held on to his shoulders. He would dip me under the water as he swam even though he knew I was afraid. I knew he was going to take me under, but the thrill and allure of the pool kept me coming back for ride after ride. Soon, I was swimming on my own.
Now my husband and I have place on Lake Livingston. In less than two hours we can be far away from the Houston busyness and traffic. The lake is a place of peace, entertainment, and family fun. And while the water really warms up under the blazing Texas sun, if we reach our toes down far enough we can usually find a cool spot. Those cool spots are so lovely during the heat of the summer. Those are the places where the lake is deeper, and that’s where the fish are too! There is fun, enjoyment, and refreshing water over the whole surface of the lake, but the deeper waters are what we seek out and where we linger.
In the Bible there are many references to water that are illustrations or descriptions of the Holy Spirit and God’s power. The Holy Spirit’s first mention in the Bible places Him moving and hovering over the waters of the formless earth. Likewise, the voice of God Almighty is likened to the sound of many waters, or rushing water (Ez. 43:2, Rev. 14:2). In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw water flowing from the throne of God that formed a river that brought life to everything it touched.
“The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east … As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in – a river that no one could cross … where the river flows everything will live … Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:1-12 (NIV)
This river that Ezekiel saw is the same kind of river found in Psalm 1. The righteous person described in this Psalm is “like a tree,” is planted by the river, is always fruitful, has leaves that are always green, and “Whatever he does prospers. (Ps. 1:3 NIV).” The waters described in both Psalm 1 and Ezekiel 47 are living, flowing waters where life flourishes, not stagnant waters filled with bacteria and disease. The waters that Ezekiel saw in his vision came right from the sanctuary, from God’s dwelling place, and from the throne of God Himself. These are deep waters that are sufficient for tall, sturdy trees that are heavy with lush leaves and abundant fruit. Trees of this magnitude would not flourish if planted by sprinklers.
Just like the natural correlation between adequate water and plant health, there is a correlation between going to deeper water and the abundant life Jesus has promised (John 10:10). While there is real water coming out of the sprinklers, there is not the same level of abundance that is found in deep water. Like the trees described in Psalms and Ezekiel, my goal is to do far more than survive. As followers of Christ we can be like the Psalm 1 tree planted by the river that flourishes and is fruitful.
Whereas as my dad taught me how to swim in deeper water, our heavenly Father is now the one who beckons all of us to come further along with Him. His beckoning is evidenced when we choose to linger over our Bible reading, when we respond to the tug to pause from our own schedule and pray, and when both corporate and personal worship become our priority. It is when we go deeper that we hear His voice speak to our hearts, where we receive supernatural encouragement and strength for each day, and where we are refreshed and truly satisfied. It is time to go further, beyond the shallows. To experience the deeper water is to experience more of His presence, His character, His power, and His Spirit. Let’s go together, out a little further, and dive into the abundant life that Jesus promised.
