Three wonders from the deep (Part One)

If frigidity can lead us to fruitlessness, superficiality can usher us to a state of poverty and boredom, or worse, to the very doorway of spiritual starvation. It cannot be otherwise since Christianity is the very expression of profoundness and utter commitment. Consequently, the farther we get from consecration and dedication, the farther we are getting from the normal Christian life.

A privileged group

In reference to a blessed company of people the Scripture writes: “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep” (Psalm 107:23,24).

Out of concern and love I must say that a large number of evangelicals are living their Christian life on the dry shore. That is why there is a lack of ecstasy in our milieus, a near absence of fascination and admiration. Amazement and wonderment have been replaced by apathy, or at least by an obvious sense of incuriosity. But there exists a place, remote as it may be, where the magnificence of the existents can captivate the soul and enrapture the mind; a place engendering astonishment and awe. And that place can be discovered only by those who accept to go down to the sea, not regarding their life dear unto themselves (Acts 20:24).

They that go down to the sea

There are blessings that can be found only on the way down. Jacob referred to these blessings when he said: “By the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb” (Gen. 49:25).

Here we have it: above, below, and at our level. The relevant question is: Are we going to follow Him when He leads us downward? I think most of us have noticed that the trend of the day is to attempt to get higher and higher—higher in the financial realm, higher in popularity, higher in recognition, higher in respectability, and higher in numbers of all sorts. But the great saints of the past knew the way up as well as the way down. They were not afraid of the valley of the shadow of death, for they knew God was with them. So they were going down to the sea to do business in great waters, there where they could discover the wonders of the Almighty.

Taking risks

To go down to sea level is good but not sufficient. We must also accept to leave the safety of the shore and navigate away from our comfort zone in trust and obedience. For why should we remain in the land of self-sufficiency, doing only what mortals can do and seeing only the works of mere men? God has called us to something more sublime. So let us weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen. Let us be imitators of those who, in the manner of Epaphroditus, steered at the helm until no land was seen. For they had understood that His way is in the sea, and His path in the great waters . These conquerors saw the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep (Psalm 77:19).

Jesus always knows

When Jesus told Peter: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4), He knew shallow waters were not apt to yield wonders. Only when His words were obeyed the wonder came: “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (5:6). Imagine the adventure. These men had never seen such a miracle. Everything was beyond explanation. So they were simply left aghast.

Right there, in the deep, Peter received a revelation of the Lordship of Christ. Here are his words: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8).

Brethren! Let us launch out into the deep. By “deep” I mean: beyond the conventional, beneath the surface of the status quo, away from the beaten track, there where the natural light ceased and our self-sufficiency collapsed. “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God” (Isaiah 50:10). In such a place we become very small and insufficient. Our sufficiency depends on the One for whom light and darkness are both alike (Psalm 139:12). He alone can light our lamp and enlighten our darkness (Psalm 18:28).

The present state

Today we fear to adventure beyond our so-called security. Everything must be counted, analyzed and prepared. Our planning takes the size of our bank account and our works the size of our abilities. We must have everything in control otherwise we don’t move. In fact, many missionaries have been tamed by a worldly wisdom which tells them to remain near the shore.

I leave you with a little poem I wrote several years ago. Take the challenge. You will not be sorry.