Take Me Deeper

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As far back as I can remember, I loved walking on the beach in Bay Head, New Jersey in the early morning when the sun was rising in the east. Listening to the waves roll in and looking for sea glass has been a pastime of mine since I was a little boy. Even in my later years, this is one of my favorite things to do. I would fill my pockets with different colored sea glass furbished by the sea –frosted blues, aquamarines, pinks, reds, browns, whites, and greens. Oh, what joy that was!

When I first met my wife, Peggy, I was excited to introduce her to my favorite beach spot. I wanted her to experience the cherished memories I held from those days. One of our first dates was to drive to Bay Head where we sought out a secluded spot on the sand to get to know each other better and for me to reminisce. It brought back a flood of memories from my summers spent there.

We laid out a couple of towels and placed them where we sat. The sand was warm as I let it pass through my fingers. As we sat on the beach, we chatted, and after a while, Peggy encouraged me to go deep with God. Watching the waves wash up on the shore, I was captivated by their power, imagining them gently lapping at my feet. The beauty and the sound of them crashing drew me in, allowing me to go deep and forget the noise of civilization, of car horns, the cacophony of people talking and yelling, of children playing, and of the concerns of this world. At that moment, I was lost entirely somewhere else.

I imagined myself out in the deep of the Atlantic Ocean. It was peaceful, and as I listened, all I could hear was God’s soothing voice. HIS gentle waves caressed me like the soft stroke of a woman’s hand upon my arm, tender and caring. I became lost in my thoughts, focused solely on God’s calming presence. He did not seem concerned about anything as I am frequently, and He spoke to me, “Go deep,” he said. “Go deep, go deep. I love you. I want to reach deep inside you and reveal myself to you in a more powerful way than has ever been revealed to you before. Go deep, go deep, and meet me where I am. Don’t be afraid. I will swim with you. I will uphold you. You are tethered to me. You cannot be lost or pulled from my arms. You are mine, always. Go deep and meet me where I am. Don’t hold anything back. Swim with me, won’t you?  Don’t hold on to your surfboard; dive into my presence. I am your safety now.” He was calling me deeper than my feet could ever tread.

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand.

And I will call  upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine.

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

And I will call  upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine.
(from the song Oceans by Hillsong)

God wanted me to be alone with Him, inviting my attention and worship in the quiet of my mind and spirit. He washed over me as waves of joy, and I was filled with awe at the beauty of His creation, the ocean, the waves, the sky, the sand, and the woman beside me, whom I would soon marry. And I thought to myself, how can people not marvel at God’s glorious creation?

Copyright 2019 (revised 2024)

CREDITS

“Take Me Deeper” was written by Bill Hutzel.

.Voice over by Eleven Labs

Musical segment and lyrics from “Oceans” by Hillsong

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