We have a pool in our backyard, a beautiful, inviting pool. One problem: I rarely accept the invitation it’s sending. I always think I will. I imagine myself on a comfortable floating raft in the pool, sipping tea and reading a book. It never happens. We swim laps a few times a week and enjoy it with the Kids and Grands, but too often, I have excuses about the brutality of pool water on my hair or time consumption or dangerous sunrays.

Frequently, I’ll go out for brief moments to stick my feet in or even get in up to my clothes. It irritates me with myself—my hesitancy to just jump in. I’m working on it….

It reminds me of the vision Ezekiel, found in Ezekiel 47:1-12. In this incredibly vivid vision, Ezekiel is being led through the Temple complex by an angel. He sees a river begin to flow from the sanctuary, alongside the altar and out the gate of the Temple, heading east. This river, flowing from God, flows into the Dead Sea and brings it to life! It becomes a beautiful place of life, sustaining every imaginable fish type along with fishermen and trees that burst into fruitfulness each and every month to feed the world and leaves to heal the population of the world.

As the angel and Ezekiel are witnessing the river begin its journey from the Temple to the Dead Sea, they wade through it, making measurements of length and depth as it grows without being fed by any tributaries. The angel and Ezekiel measure off a thousand cubits in distance and find the water to be ankle-deep. After another thousand cubits, they find it knee-deep. Measuring another thousand cubits it is up to their waists. Measuring a final thousand, it is over their heads.

Our relationship with the Lord and the depths we can get to in Him, are reflected in this vision. We may choose to stay ankle-deep, enough water to splash around in, but nothing risky. A take-it-or-leave-it kind of relationship. We could go deeper to a knee-deep relationship in which we are more surrendered, more likely to be affected in our walk. Going waist deep may feel like we’re all the way in, while maintaining just a bit of control (real or imagined) and we may choose to say that is enough for us.

Or maybe you are ready to go in over your head, where you surrender all control. Now you’re head over heels, lost in love for the Lord. You have nothing held back and reserved. You have everything invested.

Choosing the shallower levels may feel like the safer option, but they will never provide us with the depth of relationship that gives that place of belonging. And look at what could be our reality if we totally surrender: what began as a trickle of water that only one person could kick around in, has become food for the world. That is what we are called to do. Our complete submersion means blessing and life to those around us.

I’ve chosen being immersed in God’s love and giving myself wholly to Him. As little as I have embraced it in the pool in my backyard, I have embraced it here. For years I tried the shallow thing and found it so very wanting. I found the shallow thing to be the biggest risk of my life and the diving deep to be the safest, most life-giving.

“And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes” (Ezekiel 47:9).

Where are you in the River? Ready to go deeper? If you are, I have a couple FREE RESOURCES that might interest you: “The 9 Steps to Cutting a Covenant” and “Women in Ministry: A Look at the Scriptures that cause some Confusion.” Both are available by clicking HERE!

Also, to read another blog about trusting the Lord as we go deeper in Him, check out, “The Chokehold of Control” by clicking HERE!

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