Deep Calls to Deep

My soul is downcast within me;
   therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
   the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
   in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
   have swept over me.

 -- Psalm 42:6-7 (NIV)  

Snoqualamie Falls at flood stage makes a violent roar.  When I took this picture I took the rainy walk to the bottom of the falls and felt the thundering vibration of thousands of tons of water free-falling over the cliff.  I thought of this verse -- "deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls."  The roar of it drowned out every other sound, yet standing there with the mist from it falling upon me soaking my face and hair there was the strong Presence of God.  

One of my favorite catch-phrases is "that water is under the bridge."  Life's river keeps moving.  No matter how stagnant or stuck we might think we feel, God is, in actuality, moving us ever closer to Him, because that is what God most desires from us: a deeper, closer relationship with Him. Half of the challenge in life is letting go of the things which have happened, of watching them pass under the bridge and go over the falls and on to the ocean.  

Standing on the bank of the falls that morning I remember casting all my worries, things which depressed me, sorrows, and sadnesses into the water by imagining that each one was in a rock that I would pick up and throw.  With each thrown rock I felt lighter and the nearness of God's peace was more profoundly upon me.  I'd encourage you to try this meditative stone throwing at a body of water near you and feel for yourself deep calling to deep; the depths of your soul meeting the depths of God.

Prayer:

Why, my soul, am I downcast? 

Why so disturbed within me?

I put my hope in You, O God,
for I will yet praise You, 

my Savior and my God. Amen.  -- Psalm 42:5