Immersion

There is no Christianity Lite. It's what a lot of people live, but there's no room for it. Here's two simple words. Devote and immerse. They are words that sound a lot like that word "fully" that intrigued me for so long. "Fully" is nothing unique from a biblical standpoint. There's a ton of words just like it that mean the same thing and demand the same response from us as followers of God. I just looked up this passage in the NASB and it uses the phrase "take pains". These are real words. Heavy words. Life changing, life describing words. When (and how) did the faith become a lame hobby for boring people?

"13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.


There are times when I'm posting on here and I write the verse, intro it, and then think: "what else is there to say?" This is one of those times. If it's that plain though, why isn't it normal? If it's that plain, why isn't it fully embedded in the fabric of my life? Devote is one I can look up. Here it is in the lexicon:

to apply one's self to, attach one's self to, hold or cleave to a person or a thing

a) to be given or addicted to

b) to devote thought and effort to

Again, strong words. A biblical command to be an addict. Be addicted to reading my word, pushing others to follow me, and to prayer. Be an addict! I also like the idea of thought AND effort. I see people who have thought, but no effort. They theorize the word. They know the truth, but fail to live it. It doesn't change them. Just words. I also see people who have a ton of effort, but it's not directed to the real person of who God is. I can be both of those people when I forget that my life is not my own. 


The other cool word is "immerse" There is no other way to think of this word but to picture it. Picture yourself submerged. Is there any way to better communicate the idea of complete devotion to something? "Is he a dot, or is he a speck, when he's underwater does he get wet?, or does the water get him instead? Nobody knows. Particle Man". Sorry, momentary flashback to my junior high days. Think of the whole point of baptism though. This is what immersion signifies. So put it in back in the context: Immerse yourself in these things, so that your progress might be seen by all. Like baptism, the point of this dedication is the edification of others. It is PUBLIC. It's not a convenient side effect that people see us. It's not a cool coincidence. It's not even just another part of the equation. It's the purpose! It's the point! You dive in fully, leaving nothing back, and that will be seen by all, and it will inspire them to dive in as well, which you'll then see, which will push you to grow more and more as well. We are the body. We need each other and God has designed us to feed energy off the success of each other. We are so ready to talk about being there for each other when we are weak, and we should be, but where is the commitment to revel together when we are strong? It is just as much a part of it. It's a greater part of it I think. 


I love whitewater rafting. But it's expensive. I keep telling myself I just need to buy a kayak and then I can go for free whenever I want. But I don't want to and I'll tell you why. A kayak is a one man craft. The big whitewater boats hold 8 people plus the guide. I don't want to experience and defeat the river alone. I want to revel in that experience with the friends who I go down the river with. That's my favorite part. That's what makes it so awesome. Spiritually this should be the same way. We win together. We live together. We follow God together.