Water = Death

So I went surfing for the first time this week and it was an insane experience. I really enjoyed it but it was TOUGH. the waves were about 3-5 feet in height and fairly turbulent. I got on my board ok and paddled out to where I could wait for some waves. After waiting a few minutes, a HUGE wave surged forward and THROTTLED me. I traveled really far quickly and I couldn't get to the surface for air. My board, which was attached to my foot, was dragging me along. i finally get up for air, but now I'm stuck in the "crash zone" where all the waves break. and i was being PELTED with more waves. after another wave struck me my board got behind me and got FLUNG forward and NAILED me in the back of the head. I'm just glad i wasn't knocked unconscious. But that didn't break my resolve. I fought the nasty waves and battled back out of the crash zone to catch another wave. I got tossed and turned some more and never got to stand up. I only was able to muster a few attempts. On one attempt I was able to at least body surf on top of a wave and it traveled so fast! it was exhilarating. i couldn't imagine standing up as well.

But as I was out there God gave me a revelation into some of his word. Psalm 42:7 came to mind:
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.


I used to think that this was such a pleasant verse. God rushing over you. feeling peace and feeling calm. but it definitely isn't! water is violent! it can literally kill you. destroy you. suck you under and drown you. the guy who wrote this psalm was in some agony. his soul literally disturbed. i can see why he used waves as an image to describe his torment. 


and now i can see why in baptism water represents our death. there were so many times out there surfing i wanted to give up. to surrender. and when we plunge into God's water we have to surrender. it is a spiritual death. it might hurt. it might be extremely difficult. probably will be. but on the other side is life. we get on top of that wave. when we die to ourselves, that's when Jesus can live through us. 


Paul puts it well: 
For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (2 corinthians 4:11).


We must die to ourselves. And it just might be like surfing.