Four.TwentySeven.TwentyTen

No intro necessary. Let's begin.

The title. "Let the Dig Begin." What does it mean?
In speaking with a friend of mine up here one day, I got the impression that this person felt as though they knew it all; and by "knowing it all" I simply mean that they assumed they had Christianity figured out. As we discussed God, the Bible, and Christian living, they spoke with authority and assurance that not even the most respected believers I know speak with. Their confidence was in their words, not in the word of God, while their assurance was in their head knowledge of scripture, and not the experience that comes with living it out.

I prayed for this person all day long before I realized that I, too, can sometimes feel like I have this "religion" down - that I have in some way learned how to "do it right."

A realization like this should really only provoke one response: "ew."

Shortly after my upchuck reflex, I was given a sort of vision or metaphor that helped me to clearly understand the nausea that had set in and why it was so unsettling for me. (God often speaks to me in metaphors or visions, I assume, because he knows I'm a visual learner.)

The image of an archaeologist popped in my head. I started to imagine what it must be like to spend your life digging for something long awaited, searching for something great, waiting for a historical mystery to be unearthed under your own hand. You dedicate your entire life to studying this site, learning the dimensions, and knowing where to dig or not to dig. However, all of this is preparation is done in vain if that archaeologist does not pick up that shovel and start digging, is it not? The treasure is not just knowing that there is something underneath, but rather the simple fact that there is something there, waiting to be dug up.
Do you see where I'm going with this? Good. Keep up. There's more.
So this archaeologist, with their shovel in hand (don't get all PC on me...I know there is probably a specific name for the tools they use. Who cares.) pushes the edge into the dirt and starts to dig. And dig.
And dig some more.
Need I go on?
The digging continues. Sometimes she thinks she finds something, then realizes it's nothing. Other times she finds random artifacts that don't seem to have any significance.
However, this persistent archaeologist, after a long while of what seems to be frivolous digging, strikes her shovel into something solid, something of substance. What she discovers is something completely beyond what she originally thought was buried: she discovers a historical marvel, a palace, city, something grand - you can fill in that blank.
But what if this archaeologist stopped there? What if she found the tip-top of an ancient palace, stopped there, was satisfied, and went home? She would be crazy, no?

I see people as kind of archaeologists of faith. We spend our lives searching for meaning for our lives. Some of us even find God and we discover that he is real. But we don't stop there, do we? No. Or at least we shouldn't. We know that the treasure is not so much knowing that there is a God, but rather who this God that exists really is.
And then one day, we strike gold. We experience the Holy Spirit. And it, almost literally, rocks our world. It moves us, shakes us, like an out-of-body experience.
But what if we stopped after one awesome encounter with God, after one work of the Spirit, after one growth spurt? What if we just left it at the beginning? We would have no idea what was to come, what was left to be dug up. We would have absolutely no clue as to what beauty, what majesty, and what grandeur lies under if we just kept digging deeper. God does not want us to settle for the tip of faith; He has something so much greater that comes with persistence and desire to know him deeper.

Our life in the kingdom of God is waiting to unearthed. It is a sin for us to experience God once, twice, maybe even for a couple years or so, and then settle. It is an insult to God to say, "I've experienced enough." There is always more to discover, and there is always room to dig deeper.

That is my life here, thus far, in Santa Cruz. I'm digging. While I was satisfied with all the amazing things God was doing in me, through me, and around me back at home, he has chosen to send me somewhere new. This new place allows me to see God, to see this dig site, from a new perspective. I'm still uncovering this great mystery, still using the same tools, yet all from a new angle.

With that, know that I will end every post with a prayer request, asking you, the people whom I love and call my family, will lift these things up.

This post's prayer request:
Scholarship funds are needed! Kids flat out can't come to camp because we have used up all of our scholarship funds already. Our summer programs average about $400 per camp. Close to 50% of our campers this year are being scholarshipped due to the present economic circumstances. Please, pray that we receive donations and/or donate yourself.
Camp Hammer
21401 Big Basin Way
Boulder Creek, CA 95006-9097
(831) 338-3200
All checks made out to Camp Hammer, Memo line: Scholarship

Thank you very much. I hope you enjoyed. I'll be taking questions after in the Lobby. Have a wonderful day.

Yours truly. Cfen.