Take a Dive.........

Growing in the things of God is a continual process and a life-long process. Once you stop growing, you're dead. You might still be breathing and taking up space, but if you're not growing you're not living like God designed you to. You are dead. We are designed to grow.

A friend and I were talking the other day about how many folks in the church don't take advantage of the opportunities to really grow in the things of God. Instead, they remain dependent upon others to feed them and they never get past what the writer of Hebrews refers to as the "elementary things."

In Hebrews 5, towards the end, we are encouraged to grow. To do the elementary things in our walk with God so we can move to the other things God has in store for us. The writer of Hebrews says too many of us are still taking milk when we could have steak. (Okay, so he didn't say steak, but he did say meat. Might have been a lamb chop.)

If you continue reading the first couple of verses in chapter 6 (they really should be part of chapter 5) the writer of Hebrews (okay, I believe it's Paul, in case you were wondering) informs his audience to do the elementary things of the faith so they can move on to the meatier or in our terms, the deeper things.

My friend Josh Singleton gave me a great line a few years back. He said, "Deeper is doing." And that's exactly what Paul.....er the writer of Hebrews says at the end of chapter 5 and beginning of 6. Deeper is doing. Do the simple stuff so you can handle the deeper stuff. You can't jump into the deep end of the pool without mastering the shallow end. If you do, you will drown.

Too often we take the path of least resistance. We make a choice for the low road and we don't grow. We can grow as deep in the things of the Lord as we want. Spiritual maturity or being a spiritual giant has already been declared part of God's plan for our life. It's not just for a few, but it's for all who claim the name of Christ.

In the book of Isaiah we find the prophet being led into the waters, first ankle deep, then thigh deep, then deeper and deeper until his feet won't touch and he has to swim. At every point he could have said stop. This is enough. But he didn't. He allowed himself to become completely immersed in the things of God and completely dependent upon God's guidance for his survival.

To be honest, there have been times where I've said stop, or wanted to say stop. Stop the refining process, it's too hot. Stop the pruning process, I was attached to that. But that's not God's plan for my life. The refining and pruning continue. Fortunately, the refiner and the one doing the pruning, loves me and cares very deeply about me.

One of my mentors from my youth had a great saying. He used to say, "I'm up to my ankles in the things of God." But with a twinkle in his eye would also tell us that he dove in head first!

See you on the diving board! The water is great!

Always in Pursuit!