"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
Isn't it crazy the things were willing to do when we just start simply trusting in our Father's words. The other day we were at our community pool and I had taken my youngest son Matt by himself just to hang out with him. Now normally Matt will swim only where he can touch the bottom because he is so afraid of not being able to touch the bottom. And when he does have to venture through deep water, he hangs on to the edge of the pool for dear life. Well as a typical Dad who wants "his son" to be afraid of nothing... I began to ask Matt if he was ready to start swimming in the deep end. As we swam I simply began to tell him that I thought he could not only swim through the deep end but that I thought he could swim in the deep end! Of course his immediate response was "No way Dad...I can't..." In that moment God instructed me to throw his "diving torpedo" into the deep end & say these words ..." Matt trust me...I believe you can do it....I'm right here with you." Now you have to understand one thing about Matt. He hates to fail! And because he hates to fail, he'll a lot of times not even attempt difficult things in life. But this day was different. I sensed in him that he was ready and willing to trust me & listen to me, if I was willing to encourage and tell him that he was not alone & that I believed he could do it! After a few moments I witnessed Matt do something he had never done before! Not only was he swimming in the deep end, but now he was diving to the bottom of the deep end to retrieve his diving torpedo! I was so proud of him...you should have seen his face when he came up out of the water...one big smile from ear to ear...and he said these words..."Dad did you see me!!!!" I said with two thumbs up, "I did Matt... way to go, I am so proud of you...I knew you could do it."
As I reflect on these verses today in Colossians I am reminded of that event in Matt's life and this thought hits me. Bill why aren't you swimming in the deep end? What are you afraid of? Failure? Reputation? Losing control? Having to depend completely on someone else other than yourself? You see just as I was stretching Matt, I believe God is trying to stretch my faith right now. The problem is...I don't want to let go of the side of the pool! What God is trying to say to me today is this...Bill stop holding on to the edge! Stop playing it safe! Let me do in you more than you could ever hope do on your own! Listen I know that the only way I am going to "grow down deep INTO CHRIST" in my family, in my marriage & in ministry is by learning to swim in deep waters. I must begin to swim in those places in my life where I can't see bottom. Those places where I am completely uncomfortable and where I can't control the outcome. To be completely honest...that scares me. But I know if I don't let go ... Not only will I be frustrated in the shallow end of life, but eventually I will miss out, and my family and ministry will suffer as a result of me not willing to trust God and follow Him to the deep end! The reality is I will only begin to experience the deep things of Christ in the deep end of life! You see I gotta let go of the edge! I must stop playing it safe. And the beautiful thing is this...when I let go...when I begin to swim where I have never swam before ... He's with me! I'm not alone! Oh how my heart aches for this kind of daily experience with Christ. To discover more and more the richness of my life in Christ! To awaken to reality that their are deep truths & treasures of Christ waiting to be found in the deep waters of life..if I would just let go!
Jesus,
I let go today from the edge! I confess that I have a lot of anxiety about the unknown. I pray and ask you to take me to the depths of your word so that I may know you, so that I may trust you, so that I might completely abandon myself to your will and your plans for my life. I just want to live the kind of life that doesn't touch bottom! Thank you Father for never letting go of me!
Not Ashamed...Bill
Col. 2:6-7
Isn't it crazy the things were willing to do when we just start simply trusting in our Father's words. The other day we were at our community pool and I had taken my youngest son Matt by himself just to hang out with him. Now normally Matt will swim only where he can touch the bottom because he is so afraid of not being able to touch the bottom. And when he does have to venture through deep water, he hangs on to the edge of the pool for dear life. Well as a typical Dad who wants "his son" to be afraid of nothing... I began to ask Matt if he was ready to start swimming in the deep end. As we swam I simply began to tell him that I thought he could not only swim through the deep end but that I thought he could swim in the deep end! Of course his immediate response was "No way Dad...I can't..." In that moment God instructed me to throw his "diving torpedo" into the deep end & say these words ..." Matt trust me...I believe you can do it....I'm right here with you." Now you have to understand one thing about Matt. He hates to fail! And because he hates to fail, he'll a lot of times not even attempt difficult things in life. But this day was different. I sensed in him that he was ready and willing to trust me & listen to me, if I was willing to encourage and tell him that he was not alone & that I believed he could do it! After a few moments I witnessed Matt do something he had never done before! Not only was he swimming in the deep end, but now he was diving to the bottom of the deep end to retrieve his diving torpedo! I was so proud of him...you should have seen his face when he came up out of the water...one big smile from ear to ear...and he said these words..."Dad did you see me!!!!" I said with two thumbs up, "I did Matt... way to go, I am so proud of you...I knew you could do it."
As I reflect on these verses today in Colossians I am reminded of that event in Matt's life and this thought hits me. Bill why aren't you swimming in the deep end? What are you afraid of? Failure? Reputation? Losing control? Having to depend completely on someone else other than yourself? You see just as I was stretching Matt, I believe God is trying to stretch my faith right now. The problem is...I don't want to let go of the side of the pool! What God is trying to say to me today is this...Bill stop holding on to the edge! Stop playing it safe! Let me do in you more than you could ever hope do on your own! Listen I know that the only way I am going to "grow down deep INTO CHRIST" in my family, in my marriage & in ministry is by learning to swim in deep waters. I must begin to swim in those places in my life where I can't see bottom. Those places where I am completely uncomfortable and where I can't control the outcome. To be completely honest...that scares me. But I know if I don't let go ... Not only will I be frustrated in the shallow end of life, but eventually I will miss out, and my family and ministry will suffer as a result of me not willing to trust God and follow Him to the deep end! The reality is I will only begin to experience the deep things of Christ in the deep end of life! You see I gotta let go of the edge! I must stop playing it safe. And the beautiful thing is this...when I let go...when I begin to swim where I have never swam before ... He's with me! I'm not alone! Oh how my heart aches for this kind of daily experience with Christ. To discover more and more the richness of my life in Christ! To awaken to reality that their are deep truths & treasures of Christ waiting to be found in the deep waters of life..if I would just let go!
Jesus,
I let go today from the edge! I confess that I have a lot of anxiety about the unknown. I pray and ask you to take me to the depths of your word so that I may know you, so that I may trust you, so that I might completely abandon myself to your will and your plans for my life. I just want to live the kind of life that doesn't touch bottom! Thank you Father for never letting go of me!
Not Ashamed...Bill
Posts
i miss you, bill.
ReplyDeletecongrat matt for me!
-katie
DANG! Thats deep. lol. : ]
ReplyDeleteIm still praying for God's Mission for you. : ]
...and that Deborah and I miss you ALOT!