Nicaragua 2006: Living water in spite of the waves.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 6 comments link this post
::This is the ninth one, with a photo from an ocean baptism that occurred on the trip. Start here for the whole series. The hymn, O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus is excerpted in this post; it is one of my favorite hymns. This is about baptism. This is about water. This is about life in Christ. You can learn more about the trip to Nicaragua here.::
In a place where water is scarce the Bible was written.
The Israelites crossed through water not once but twice, dry, water around them, a Red Sea with no red. The One who came to save them later walked upon water.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
The woman at the well thought she was there only for a drink. The One who would save her told her of the Living Water. From dry life to thirsting no more. The wells of the deep had already been broken.
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Out of water He gave blood-red wine, saving the best for last. Yet water will also turn to blood, the worst yet to come. The One who would save us has poured His blood out before the water flowed, coursing down His side.
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love.
From out of the Rock comes water; speak, do not strike. Do not miss out on the Promised Land.
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!
We crave the Living Water. We are to be the salt of the earth and making us all the more thirsty for It. He will bring the dry bones back to life! We are unable to withstand the desert without water; few men bear up under the dryness of life. This desert calls us to cry out for water.
'Tis an ocean full of blessing, 'tis a haven giving rest!
Hearing the voice in the dry wilderness, we tip back, submerged and surrounded, dead to sin. Pulled back up, into the searing sunlight, burnished heart and lips, eyes and life salty, alive to Christ, creation singing the Creator all around us. Strong currents coursing about our feet.
But there are waves, crashing about and throwing what we thought we had left behind back to us, tripping us, nearly drowning us.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heaven of heavens to me;
That we would leave what we left back there, in the water, to pick it up no more. Pick up the cross instead, though you may die!
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!
Tipped back in quiet darkness, momentary death, throwing off, then lifted to glory. Life in death. Living Water in spite of the waves.
| tag: nicaragua |
Labels: nicaragua
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 5/10/2006 06:59:00 PM
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6 Comments:
Nicely done Julie.
And that is an astonishing picture.
By 
Jim, at
10/5/06 21:12
That is more profound and touching that you may even know. Baptism is so precious. I will archive this. I may use it in a sermon (with attribution).
By Gene, at
10/5/06 22:08
That picture is so, so, so Beautiful. Its pretty much indescribable in its depth. The only words that come to mind are: a new life, cleansing, fresh. Blessings. :)
By Tracy, at
11/5/06 09:31
I gotta wonder what kind of fishing they have over there. I'm thinking a big ol'shiner on a spinner?
By 
, at
11/5/06 13:20
It IS an incredible photo, Julie.
By girlfriday, at
11/5/06 14:38
I know - that photo is amazing.
(photo by Kent Gussiaas)
(But he let me use his camera sometimes.)
(So I took some OK photos, too.)
(Just not that one.)
By Julie, at
11/5/06 17:28
