Richard Foster was right when he wrote, “Superficiality is the curse of our age…. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” Stop and think about that for a moment. And now, ask yourself the hard question. Be honest in your answer: “Am I among the deep people?” Going deeper in our understanding, in our appreciation and in our devotion to God and others is always possible for us. And, becoming a deeper person happens most naturally and easily and often when we are in the crucible of suffering. Listen to the words of Job who lost all of his children [to death], his possessions [to plundering enemies], his friends [to disloyalty] and his health [to extreme physical suffering]….
Job refers to his experience of going deeper with God as learning…. “things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” [Job 42:3] He said, “He [God] reveals deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.” [Job 12:22] He further testifies about going deeper by asking: “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens – what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave – what can you know?”
Never forget this my dear friends: Your greatest opportunity to experience greater depth in your walk with God and your relationships with others is when your world collapses in on you. So, when you go through trials, please do not become bitter or harden your heart. If you do, you will miss the opportunity to experience your best and deepest days with God and those with whom you are the closest on this earth.
Pray with me…. Our Father, in a lifetime we cannot possibly exhaust all that there is to know and love about you. Keep teaching us as the years pass and as we put ourselves in a place to be taught. Thank you that faithfulness in times of trial and testing that put us in a place to draw closer to Your heart. We do not want to be shallow people. We want to be among the deep people. Take us there, no matter what it costs us. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Ken
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