Stealing the Day

Knee-deep. It’s often a phrase associated with acts of ill-intent or neglect. “You’re already in knee-deep, I wouldn’t go any further.” Or, how about, “You’re knee-deep in horse manure right about now.” When someone says it, you know you’re in trouble.

But what about those of us who are only ankle-deep? It’s the way so many of us live, myself included. I drove for an hour yesterday to join a group of fine people called Elizabeth Chapel church as they worshiped and the Word was delivered by their preacher, Randy. It was a message I needed to hear.

Everyone is talking about “Occupy Wall Street/Denver/Washington/Philadelphia/Fresno/Huntington/London/The Moon” and “the 99%.” Well, I’d venture to say that many Christians (maybe not 99%, but not ridiculously far from it either) are in a completely different type of struggle- one of an ankle-deep relationship.

1 Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around [a]on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.

 3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. 5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.

The above passage, taken from Ezekiel 47 (NASB), paints a picture of a man wading into a river. God’s will and the Holy Spirit are like a mighty river. When we’re only ankle-deep in the river, we still mostly do whatever we want with little regard for His will. Knee-deep, we start doing more religious things, and we may even take on a “holier-than-thou” attitude (yes, the same one that turns people away and causes them to label Christians as hypocrites). Even when we wade out into the water to the point that we are shoulder-deep, we still have some control- even if the water pushes us around a little, we can usually regain our footing and back out back into the ankle-deep category.

I don’t know about you, but every time I’ve ever gotten into the knee-deep water, I’ve retreated. Sometimes because I’m scared to let the river take control and take me away. Sometimes because I’m too lazy to see what the deeper water is like. Sometimes because I know what it’s like and know that I will try to fight it, and therefore I simply don’t bother. But God wants us to become totally immersed and submerged into that river.

That being said, why would we voluntarily lose our footing in a mighty river? What’s the fun in totally giving over control of your relationships, your career, your finances, your family, everything? What about my plans? What about the picket fence and 2.5 kids and dog and hybrid SUV and the rest of the pre-packaged American Dream?

Because there is a God who has greater plans- that’s why. God has blessings for us much greater than the American Dream- blessings greater than we could ever imagine. But we’ll never get to tap into them if we don’t let Him guide us. Which may mean submitting to his will before we even know what it is. It will mean putting our faith in Christ to know what’s best for our families. It will mean letting Him guide our career paths, even to one that we hadn’t planned.

Need another reason before you give up all that? There is this verse in James in Chapter 4, verse 7: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

That sounds like a better protection plan than any manufacturer’s warranty I’ve ever heard. It’s simple: Submit to God. Resist the devil. He (the devil) will flee from you. It doesn’t say, he “might not bother you.” It doesn’t say, “He might not cause you to mess up if you went to church Sunday.” Two words are key: “will,” and “flee.” Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Not only does the word “will” eliminate any uncertainty, but then the word “flee” is used. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the word “flee” means “to run away.” The devil will run away from you. So, if we submit ourselves to God’s will, not only does he have blessings beyond measure lined up for us, but he also guarantees us protection from evil. The Christian walk isn’t one that’s made of cake, of course, but how great is it that we can know that our God will never let us go while we’re in that river?

I believe that God has challenged me to wade beyond the ankle-deep. He certainly knows I’ve never gone beyond that, but He has called me and you to do so. This means we need to know God’s will for our lives, but be willing to submit to whatever that may be beforehand. This passage from Ephesians 5 gets us on the right track:

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

We have to start with understanding the will of the Lord, which means praying that we learn how to accept it and then choose to do so, meanwhile watching our actions and behaviors. Oh, and here’s this verse a little bit down the page: “21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” That means we have to submit to others. All the time. What a novel concept- putting others before ourselves! As we wade deeper into the river, putting others first will become more and more relevant, and putting ourselves first will become less and less important. Are you ready to move with me beyond the ankle-deep water that we’ve been standing in for so long?

(Source: biblegateway.com)