Launch Out Into the Deep
Even though I’m shivering on the brink.
But timorous mortals start and shrink
To cross the narrow sea,
And linger shivering on the brink,
And fear to launch away.
In her later years, my mother used to say a very interesting thing whenever anyone asked her “how are you?”.
“Lingering and shivering on the brink. Fearing to launch away,” she would chuckle.
It was her cheeky take on a line from a hymn: “There Is a Land of Pure Delight,” written by Isaac Watts in the early 1700s.
There is a land of pure delight
Where saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night
And pleasures banish pain.
There everlasting spring abides
And never withering flowers;
Death like a narrow sea divides
That heavenly land from ours.
Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood
Stand dressed in living green;
So to the Jews old Canaan stood
While Jordan rolled between.
But timorous mortals start and shrink
To cross the narrow sea,
And linger shivering on the brink,
And fear to launch away.
O could we make our doubts remove,
Those gloomy doubts that rise,
And see the Canaan that we love
With unbeclouded eyes.
Could we but climb where Moses stood
And view the landscape o’er;
Not Jordan’s stream, nor death’s cold flood
Should fright us from the shore.
Unbeclouded. What an interesting word.
But what an odd and dark answer! Did my mother see herself as a timid mortal who was afraid to leave the safety of shore?
And why did my mother’s litany come to mind just now?
I was discussing a new business venture - this website. And I realised I was lingering and shivering on the brink.
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draft.”
— Luke 5:4 (KJV)
Watch instead or scroll to keep reading:
Too often we ask for what we want, but we don’t expect to receive it. Either it comes in a form we don’t expect or we never believed it could happen for us.
Naaman was like that. (2 Kings 5:1–14)
Despite being told what to do, he was skeptical. Where was the drama? And why was he being sent into the river Jordan of all places when the Damascus rivers were so much better?
He did what he was told, despite his objections, and it worked. But only because his servants had the wherewithal to say, what does it matter if it’s the messenger or the message?
Recently, at church, a young woman shared her testimony. Her daughter had been accepted to a prestigious high school, but the fees were beyond her reach. Unsure of how to proceed, she followed her instinct to turn up at the school to speak to the principal to see what could be done, despite her embarrassing circumstances.
As it was back to school time, a line of parents had already formed outside the office. The parent ahead of her was demanding a refund, explaining that a long-delayed overseas migration application had finally been approved.
“I’m sorry,” the administrator replied. “Refunds aren’t possible.”
Fuming, the parent whirled around and spotted the young woman behind her.
“If the school won’t return the money to me,” she said, “then I’m giving it to this young woman for her daughter’s tuition.”
The young woman was incredibly grateful. Teary-eyed, she recounted how nervous she had been to face the school administration, but still courageously went with no plan and blessings had fallen on her.
Be Courageous
Even though I’m shivering on the brink, I’m still launching into the deep and letting down my net to create this community. It’s a digital shelter in the hollow of His Hand to share our experiences as afro-Christians in the developing world.
If you are like me and taking a chance on doing something that terrifies you, I will share what I prayed when I too was looking for a way to move forward with faith.
Our Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed on us. We bless Your name because Your word says, “the Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all he does.” (Psalm 145:13, NIV).
As You have allowed us to embark on a new venture, we pray for Your intervention in all we do. We pray that You open our understanding and give us clarity of purpose. We ask that You increase our creative ability and help us navigate the challenges that will arise. We ask for Your divine wisdom.
We lay all our plans at Your altar and pray that whatever we do will be done to Your honour and glory. As Your word reminds us, “commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3, NIV). So Father God, we commit our plans to you. We acknowledge that you have ultimate control and wisdom. We’re trusting that you will align our plans to your perfect will.
This we ask in Your name.
If you're looking for more resources I found this article by Women of Prayer, Prayer Blessing for a New Business:
womenofprayer10
How about you? Are you facing a decision that terrifies you? What Bible verses helped you to launch out into the deep? Let's share more about how we can find courage to do what we need to do.
Be Courageous.
