skipping rocks...

last night, a very powerful thought was shared in my Encounter Group. in a discussion about growing deeping with God, the metaphor of skipping rocks was presented to describe (a) what God looks for in a deep relationship with us, (b) how we can enjoy a deep relationship with Him/how to grow deeper, and (c) the profound impact of having a deep relationship with our Creator.

(a) if you've ever skipped rocks, you know there is a certain protocol with the how-to. first thing's first - you need the right rock. hypothetically, you can skip any rock. but to maximize how many times the rock skips, you need to be intentional with the rock you choose. ideally, you try to find a flat, smooth stone that lacks any uneven, jagged edges that will slow it down. in the same way, God seeks ideal "stones" - those that will maximize the input to achieve the greatest output possible. don't get me wrong, this does not go to say that God doesn't use anything other than 'ideal'.

(b) okay, so we all know that rocks don't just come out smooth. physically speaking, it's only after years of being weathered will a rock reach its ideal state. consider this - when you go skip rocks, you don't grab a rock from your backyard then head to the water; nor do you swim out into the deep to find your rock. generally, the best stones are found at the water's edge, where they been brought in by the tide and where the waves continue to crash on them. spiritually speaking, there are two things that come to my mind with regards to what shape us and what can potentially grow us deeper: 1/life experiences, and 2/intentional growth. years of all sorts of experiences can definitely shape us, but coupled with the intention to grow deeper in God, we can become fine-tuned and progress towards becoming our most ideal selves.

(c) after finding your ideal rock, we all know that skipping it can be super enjoyable. once you launch it onto the water, you anticipate that (under the most ideal conditions) it will go long. not to mention the display of ripples each time it hits the surface! similarly, the impact of our lives can become more numerous and more resounding the deeper we grow in Him - imagine the impact that you would have on one life, and the lives that they would ripple over in turn. and then your next break into the surface. and then the next...