Skipping Rocks

Photo Rock Skipping by -Aero-Lite

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:17-18

"My wife Irene loves to skip rocks when we are backpacking in the mountains. Often we find ourselves at a river bank or at the edge of a mountain lake so that Irene can skip rocks. I usually find a place to rest and watch her as she skips rocks with childlike joy and wonder. The rocks skip across the water, the more skips the better, then they slow to a stop and sink to the bottom.

As I watched this for some time, it hit me that many us, go through life like skipping rocks. Many of us are skipping rocks in our relationships with God and with one another. We rush through life at such a pace that we hit the surface of interaction and relating to God and others and we bounce to the next person or the next big thing, only to bounce on . . . and on . . . and on. In the process we miss the depth and richness that God has for us. If only we were to slow down long enough, we would sink to the depth of relationship that God has in mind for each of us to have with Himself and with one another.

Paul relates this truth well in Ephesians 3:18 when he prays that the Church in Ephesus would 'have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ' for them. Would we also be given the power and ability to understand, grasp and sink to the depths of Christ's love for us and for one another.

Lord, we praise you for the depth of love that you have for us and for calling us into that depth of love for you and for one another. We confess that we often go through life like skipping rocks and barely skim the surface of what you have for us. Grant us Lord Jesus the power and presence of your Holy Spirit to slow us down and sink us to the depths of your love. Amen!