I believe the Christian life is life lived to the fullest. This is my Father’s world and so I’ve had many adventures. Each year, since I became a Christian, I’ve tried to learn something new and adventurous. I began sailing at 14 and that was followed by soaring, spelunking, backpacking, mountain climbing, skiing (downhill and cross-country), fly-fishing, scuba diving and many more.
Sometimes the hobby will become an obsession and then there are years I would like to forget. (The year I learned to golf comes to mind.) But one hobby I dearly love is scuba diving. I was so enthusiastic about the undersea world that my dad decided to learn to dive while he was living in Florida. When he came to visit me in California, he wanted to go diving in one of the great kelp forests he had heard me talking about.
I was a bit nervous about taking him there. Yes, they are magnificent. You feel like a giant bird soaring through a magical forest. The rays of sunlight pour down through the leaves and strange creatures swim all around you. But it can quickly become a nightmare if you become tangled or panic. Dad was use to the warm waters of Florida but this is the Pacific and the water is so cold you must wrap yourself in a thick wetsuit. Some people become claustrophobic. There were a thousand things for me to worry about as dad and I waded through the surf and swam out to his first kelp bed. I kept a close eye on him as we submerged.
It was everything I had hoped for! What an incredible day but then I noticed a stream of bubbles flowing uncontrollably from dad’s regulator. Something was wrong! What was the matter? Urgently I beat my knife on my scuba tank to get his attention and signaled “surface.”
“Dad! What’s wrong? Your regulator was running out of control!”
He pulled up his mask and took the regulator out of his mouth. He was grinning from ear to ear. “It’s just like you said son. God did such a great job I just couldn’t help but sing!” The bubbles were the chorus of dad’s hymn to the Creator.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.Psalm 145:3-7 (NIV)