Wash Over Me

I don't know about you but God has placed a way to seek Him on my heart. It's a seeking that Scripture and a Snapshot craves. I see a picture He has had me take and he pours a couple words into my heart and then asks me to research them. Maybe a Bible verse or a song. The kind of digging that He wants to speak into my heart and teach and mold me with. 

The last couple of days God has been leading a lyric here, a lyric there, a phrase here, a phrase there to pop up all around me. This morning he placed a picture on my heart with it altogether.

(Photo of a part of Gorman Falls in Texas. The falls flow into the Colorado River)

Do you see it? The rock formation that looks like a man sitting there thinking? With his hand under his chin?

Pretty cool, huh?

This week God has been reminding my soul that He is washing over me during this time of waiting we've been doing. He is making me "stronger" through this time. Strong like this rock, and while the water chips away rock as it flows consistently over it like this; those chipped away parts are parts of my life God says I don't need to keep on me anymore. 

I started looking for Bible verses that talk about washing over me and I love how the different translations formulate the same verse... 

Psalm 42:7

New International Version

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

New Living Translation

I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

English Standard Version

Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

NET Bible

One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls; all your billows and waves overwhelm me. 

He's roaring over me! Not only are His waters washing away the parts of me that He is refining but the roaring of the waves are also washing away the parts of the world that are trying to attack me. A beautiful picture of Him protecting and shaping us. 

A great visualization of this picture came to me as well of how our foundations are built on The Rock. That it keeps us "Stronger" and able to weather the roaring waves that wash over us from time to time. 

(Lyrics from Mandisa's "Stronger")

When the waves are taking you under

Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
And things can only get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger
Gonna make you stronger, stronger, stronger
Believe me, this is gonna make you Stronger

(Lyrics from Unspoken's "Lift My Life Up")

If peace is a river then let it sweep over me
If I'm under fire I know it's refining me
When I hear You calling out I follow now wherever the road may go
I know You're leading me home

(Lyrics from Hawk Nelson's "Diamonds" ... and you could change the word 'fire' to 'water' for the sake of this example)

Here and now I'm in the fire, 
In above my head
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Being held under the pressure, 
Don't know what'll be left
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
But it's here in the ashes
I'm finding treasure

He's making diamonds, diamonds
Making diamonds out of dust
He is refining in his timing 
He's making diamonds out of us

I'll surrender to the power
Of being crushed by love
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Till the beauty that was hidden
Isn't covered up
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, oh
Oh it's not what I hoped for
It's something much better

(Lyrics from Lauren Daigle's "Trust In You") 

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

You are my strength and comfort
You are my steady hand
You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand

So let me offer you some encouragement today. If you feel like you are drowning His washing is refining and making you stronger! So even when you feel like your head is under water and there doesn't seem to an end in sight know that he is cleansing you, shaping you, and shielding you. In His time He will clear the water from your eyes and you will see all He was doing. The beauty of it all. 

Enjoy the water washing over you!