What do you immerse yourself in?

Monday devotions @work 8 June 2020

©2020 Copyright Karien Le Roux photography

I am sure we all have different expectations and maybe uncertainties about this year and the way it is playing out is probably a huge surprise to all of us as we are expected to deal with vastly unexpected and unplanned challenges. It may be that we are discouraged by some of the news reports we are flooded with. I think we are all aware of the potential storms ahead, on different fronts of life. As I was praying and contemplating all this year may (or may not) bring, I believe I heard Holy Spirit ask a question:

"What do you immerse yourself in?"

And so the question set off a quest to firstly do some introspection in terms of what I immerse myself into, but also to go to scripture and see what did the people in the Bible immerse themselves into? Although this is not by far a completed journey, in fact, I suspect that I will journey with this question for the rest of this year, here are some of my thoughts so far:

What we immerse ourselves in is a choice - and it has consequences:

What did Adam and Eve immerse themselves in?
The presence of God in the cool of the evening breeze as He came to walk with them...
And then: The doubt the enemy brought...

What did Noah immerse Himself in?
Fulfilling the task in obedience to God's word to him...
And then: Overindulging in wine...

What did Abraham immerse Himself in?
In his covenant with God...
And then: Into making his own plan to fulfil the promise God made to him..?

What did Moses immerse Himself in?
The presence of God in the tent of meeting...
And yet there was the moment of 'Will I bring water out of this rock for you...?'

What did David immerse himself in?
Worship of a Sovereign God, being a man after God's heart
And yet there was Bathsheba...

And so I can go on all though the Bible and right into my own life...

What is it that God wants to draw our attention to or warn us about? Maybe many different things but surely, He wants to make us attentive to staying immersed in Him. In His presence, His love, His plans for us. (Jer. 29:11)

In John 15:3-4 (NKJ) He encourages us with this:

'You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless it abides in Me"

As this year progress and unfold, let us keep this question in mind:

"What am I immersing myself in?"

Let us immerse ourselves in Him completely, and let us guard our hearts against the if's, why's and but's of this life...

Let us continuously immerse ourselves in His Hope, His presence, His promises to us, in Faith... In Him as the Vine, the source of life, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Spend a few moments in worship with Matt Redman and His Song "Abide with Me"

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