The Wonders in the Deep

1 Corinthians 2:10 

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

The term “the deep things of God” has been metaphorically used to describe spiritual enlightenment that is revealed to those who have a passion for finding out about the movement and workings of God.  1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

To go to the deep means  we leave the known shores of shallow christian existence behind and find a depth in the Lord that only the spiritual person will experience.  The shorelines are filled with shallow christians.  Like the stoney ground in the parable of the sower, the Word sprang up immediately, but because it lacked depth of earth, and was shallow ground, when the heat of the sun was applied, “it was scorched and because it had no root, it withered away” (Mark 4:5-6)

As long as one stays next to the shore, in the shallows, the way points are easily defined.  Land based travelers always have clear reference points to follow, or markers left so that return travel is easy to follow. 

Land based travel has guides – Sea travel has a navigator.

Land based travel is a journey – sea travel is a voyage.

Land based travel uses maps – sea travel uses charts.

Ancient charts and maps were fragmentary at best, as there are no landmarks at sea.  Ancient mariners simply gave general directions. Maybe some outstanding landmark could be seen if the vessel navigation would stay close to land.  On the old charts some pitfalls to be avoided would be mentioned, albeit they were very incomplete. When chart makers reached the limits of the known world they wrote, “beyond here lie dragons”.

Christopher Columbus challenged the paradigm of land based reference for sea travel, rather than following routes that sailed next to land.  He was positive that over the horizon was the land he was looking for, the West Indies.

Sea travelers don’t look to the earth for direction, rather to the heavens, stars and constellations; and in reality, it is a far more stable and secure for true direction than land based references.  

If you want to travel to spiritual depths, you’re going to have to pray as you’ve never prayed before.  To launch out into the deep, one must leave the familiar which requires a departure.  When we desire new levels of spiritual understanding and a deeper relationship with God, we want to know God like we’ve never known him before, we must be willing to leave; leave the known and venture into the unknown.

Psalms 107:23-30 

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

There are “Wonders in the Deep”.

• • No more splashing around in the bubbly brooks.
• • No more ankle-deep or knee deep water, but rather waters to swim in. (Ezekiel 47:1-5) Familiarity is hard to leave – The habitual, the known.  These pulls must be broken.
• • Friends may not understand 
• • Family may object 
• • Loved ones may fear 
• • The careful may caution 
• • The doomsdayer will warn of the danger
• • The status quo will resist
• • Fear will try to block your way

“But to the deep we must go” for the “Deep calleth to the deep”

• • Leave the spiritual mundane behind
• • Leave blah Christian existence behind 
• • Launch out into the deep
• • Find out what Abundant Life is all about
• • He will bring you to your “Desired Haven”

I urge you to go into the deep!

Pastor Bledsoe