Knee Deep

One day a man stood at the shore. The water just covered his feet; he was ankle deep. Without fear, the man walked further into the water. The crashing waves didn’t rock him. He continued until he was knee deep. There he stood enjoying the water and the scenery without care. He knew when the waves came that they wouldn’t knock him down and he wouldn’t need help staying upright. So, when they came, they didn’t push him back. He was comfortable, safe, and content being knee deep. He had no desire to go deeper even though he had the skill to do so. Instead, he preferred to straddle the proverbial fence between trusting his skills and staying where he wouldn’t be challenged.

For many Christians this is how their walk with God is. They don’t want to go deeper into God’s Word. They don’t want to grow because growing involves pruning. They stay in a place of comfort and complacency, refusing to trust God, preferring to straddle the fence, and thus not realizing that staying knee deep is being lukewarm. Knee deep Christians are neither hot or cold. They just are, but nothing more. The knee- deep Christian has made a choice to stay stagnant.

They don’t venture deeper into the word nor want to hear a tough word. Venturing out into waist deep or chest deep water requires faith and trust. In waist deep or chest deep water the force of the waves will make you depend on the Lord. When the waves come, the force will make you call out to the Lord. When the waves come, they will make you lean on the Lord. Therefore, don’t be afraid to go deeper, don’t get comfortable with being knee deep. Step out on faith, trust God and allow the Lord to prune you so that you will grow strong in the Lord. And when the storms of life come you will know that you can stand.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I come to You asking for the strength to be more than a knee-deep Christian. Please remind me what Your Word says about becoming comfortable, complacent (knee-deep). Lord, check my heart because it is deceitful and desperately wicked, only You know it. Then, Lord, show me the areas where I don’t trust You. Show me the areas where I’ve said, “This is all I’m giving to God because giving more will require more of me.”  Lord, lead me and guide me and give me the courage to stand firm on Your truths. Remind me, that although storms may come, I can rest in Your promises because they don’t change in the storm. Encourage me and build me up so that I might know Your might, feel Your protection, and share Your Word. I thank you in advance for holding me, lifting me, and keeping me in and out of life’s storms. And when it’s all said and done, I’ll remember to give You all the praise, all the honor, and all the glory. In the matchless name of Jesus, Amen.
By Sis. Patricia Towns