5/27/2021
Author: Mike Kelley
Title: Mike's Minute
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2
As I write these words, I am sitting on the beach near Gulf Shores, Alabama. I am looking at the Gulf of Mexico and listening to the waves crash. The sun is on my face and the soft, white sand is under my feet.
What is it about the water that calls us? I don’t like to travel, despise traffic, and frankly am quite the house cat! But I willingly drove 8 hours, risking life, limb and sanity on the interstate to get here. Why?
Then, I think about the Bible and get a clue about why the water calls me and ministers to me. Water is important to God! Open your Bible and, in the very first paragraph, there it is... water (Genesis 1:2). God made the surface of the earth three fourths water. Does that tell you something? Continue to read Scripture and you see water again and again.
Moses parted the water, allowing the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army which was in hot pursuit... reminding believers today that God provides a way of escape.
Naaman dipped in water to heal his leprosy... reminding us of water’s cleansing, healing properties.
Many of the disciples called by Jesus were fishermen... men who made their living in the water... reminding us that their mission (and ours) would be serving as fishers of men.
Jesus walked on water, while Peter nearly drowned in it... reminding us that the problems that threaten us are under Jesus’ feet and therefore under His control.
There is also God’s plan of salvation, which includes water baptism. John the Baptist, Jesus, and finally, the church, baptized converts into water to make them Christians.
Water, water, everywhere. Why? Because water is wonderful! It’s wonderful because it is part of God’s creation and part of His plan to save man.