I Do Not Want to Skim the Surface

Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life. - Psalm 42:7-8

Knowing God is a lifelong journey of twists and turns and growing awareness. The mystics through the ages have often referred to God’s love as an ocean that sweep over us in endless love. Perhaps part of that image comes from this passage where the family of Korah writes about being inundated in God’s presence.

What’s interesting is that this same song (Psalm 42) also focuses on the theme of lament and grief. The author recognizes that their own heart is depressed. And yet, in the same song, there’s this verse of being flooded with God’s presence and love. The author writes, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:5). How do you sense those two things - our great sadness and God’s great love - go together?

Take some time to ponder these things. Close with this prayer.

Holy God, I do not want to skim the surface of you—skipping and bouncing like a stray rock across the water. I want to sink to the bottom. I want to spend as much time with you as I do with everyone else. So course-correct my energy. Lead me deeper into practices that quiet the wild waters of this world. With hope I pray, amen. - Prayer by Rev. Sarah Speed | @sanctifiedart

For this journey we’ll be hearing often from our friends over at Sanctified Art who have put together a set of helpful resources. If you would like to read their thoughtful, thorough, artful devotional book, just email Bill@CityChurchLB.org and he’ll send it to you.