Take the Plunge by Pastor Todd Lout

There’s an older, Vineyard song that I still love to sing.  You know the one,

“Let The Winds Blow”, written by David Ruis?  Every time I lead that I just have to repeat a line in it over and over; “You consider me lovely, let this truth open up my soul”.  Also, when we’re singing the song, “Indescribable”, by Laura Story, I always repeat the phrase, “You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same”.  Every time we linger on those phrases there is a definite shift in the room.  The atmosphere becomes more intense and emotions take more color.  These powerful truths touch a deep need in the human heart.

We are longing to be seen and still loved.  But by, “seen”, I mean really seen….to the core.  Have you ever let somebody in on something that is sacred, secret, exposing or even shameful to you?  It is such a huge risk!  It’s a risk because, “What if they see this and reject me?”  “What if they know this and expose me more than I was willing to be exposed?”  “What if they shame me even more??”  BUT, when you take that plunge and discover that there is pure love coming back at you, there’s nothing quite like it! It's like a refreshing plunge into healing waters.

I’m convinced that one large reason people become addicted to alcohol, or other substances, is to tap into a synthetic, and momentary version of this feeling we’re talking about here.  Think about it, when we’re in that drunk state of being we don’t really feel that “what if” feeling....those layers of protection that we typically wear, that fear of man, seemily gone for a minute.  Then, oh the yucky consequences of something not real. 

BUT GOD, sees everything (1 Samuel 16:7) and He still loves us beyond what we tend to even believe about love. (1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 John 4:16).  It's all there, laid bare, in front of Him, Who IS pure love.  Yet His love toward us is an ocean without a shore.

Yes, He does see some things that need correcting and He does help us.  This is certainly one of the scary parts.  It’s because we tend to compare His correction to the disapproval we’ve felt from humans before.  But this, too, is an act of pure love.  He wants the very best for us on the inside and is willing to allow conviction in to help us.  We must get the truth in us, though, to receive this correction.  The truth is that this is still approval of us.  If it wasn’t, He wouldn’t bother. In fact, the Bible even tells us that if He didn’t do this from time to time, we would be “illegitimate” (Hebrews 12:5-11) 

So here’s a wrap up:  Let’s let ourselves experience the euphoria of being seen by perfect love.  It’s like jumping into the ocean.  It could seem scary but once we do, it’s exhilarating, refreshing, all encompassing and there aint no turnin’ back!  Even so, find this joy in the correction and perfecting of love. Being refined by it and simply basking in it.  Step out!  Come out of hiding!  We will find nothing but pure love waiting to soak us through and through.

*Might I offer a great book recommendation?  It's called, "Skinny Dipping With The Savior", by Eric B Blackwell.  I know, I know...it sounds crazy, but it's really good and takes this subject matter into much detail.