Call of the Deep

Psalm 42:7 “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.”

Sometimes when I pray for others, I remember this verse and keep in mind a particular thought. The depth of understanding of God can seem unfathomable to me, the further I look into His Word and meditate in my heart, the more I realize how unfathomable are His ways. From a simplistic point of view I realize I lack the knowledge of all that God is doing, I conclude that I must trust His purposes as good and place my friends in His hands.

The ones I pray for have a depth to them that I cannot see or comprehend. I can see the fruit of their lives and speculate as to where their hearts are at, but within the recesses of their spiritual condition, only God knows where they are.

The depth of God’s wisdom I cannot fully comprehend, the more I get to know Him, the more I realize my lack of understanding. The way His Spirit works might be visible to a certain extent but the more I search, the more I see clues that indicate there is far more going on that I cannot see—there is a deep wisdom yet to be discovered.

Godly Wisdom Revealed

The depth in peoples hearts can only be touched by the depth of God’s wisdom, and so I pray for them; that they might respond and walk in the grace of His calling, even if they don’t fully understand the process.

My prayer is that for you.

I cannot grasp the magnitude of your position in Christ, I can only see the fruit of your actions. Sometimes the Lord reveals greater depth of understanding, particularly when a relationship with God grows, but even then a revelation may not fully be grasped until the person responds in obedience to how God is leading; it can be astonishing to see God bring light upon a situation that has been in darkness for years.

I would be foolish to think I can know the depths of God’s countenance or fully appreciate His works, for those who have claimed to grasp this knowledge, they are often reminded of their humanity soon thereafter.

Job 38:1-7 “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

“Who is this who darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Imagine yourself in Job’s position, as the Lord began to open up a little insight into the mystery of His power, just think how small Job began to feel.

The moment we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought or question the manner of God’s plan, the more we are reminded that we would do well to consider our limited view.

God’s Unfathomable Depth

Since no one was there when God laid the foundations of the Earth, how could I possibly understand the spiritual foundation that He is establishing in myself or others?

The reality of it is, I may not understand it until He forms it…I simply have to learn how to trust.

I may see evidence of that which has already been laid but I can’t fully appreciate the process of God’s work until it is completed.

The predominant reason for not judging one another is given a very strict criteria. If I see a person living in sin, I might use God’s Word to correct them in love. But if my life demonstrates the same error, I must first bring myself into alignment with God’s counsel before I concern myself with another. To acquire knowledge is to draw near in wisdom and truth. The closer I get to God, the more vulnerable I become and every situation that seems unattainable or overwhelming suddenly appears less significant in breadth and stature. Obedience to God’s commands makes life less muddled and more clear.

If we can’t fully comprehend the magnitude of God’s majesty, we should be careful in how we draw conclusions concerning the work of God.

Obscuring Knowledge

I love the question that God posed to Job in chapt. 38–when the scripture is held up to various sources it reads; “who is this who ‘obscures my plans’, ‘questions my wisdom’, ‘darkens counsel’, ‘darkens the divine plan’, ‘devises doctrine’, or ‘belittles my advice’ with such ignorant words.” NLT

Some people do so much talking in the midst of trials, they think that if they can reason their way through the difficulty they might somehow navigate themselves out of the storm. It is this endless speculation of God’s divine plan that causes understanding to become muddled, particularly as thoughts deviate from His Word. For those who question God’s intent or motives, they question His power and love.

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

Did we ever consider that God might be withholding the reasons for the trial so that we learn to trust Him through the trial?

We can get so caught up focusing on ourselves, and forget to look up and just say, “Lord, I don’t know why you’re taking me through this but I know you are faithful.”

Psalm 42:11 “Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.“

Hope Rises

When it seems like the breakers and waves of God’s injustice keep crashing with unrelenting force, we must remember that from the depths of seeming darkness, God brings us into His light. Like a baptism of washing and regeneration, the Lord acts in love and is purposeful through the process.

Since the Lord is just…He forms us with intent and great purpose and He promises to complete His plans faithfully.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Can you see God working in you? 

Listen to His call. He will not abandon you to some random fate but rather leads those who listen and follow. As He leads know that He is working in you for an eternal purpose that will have a glorious end.