Cave diving in this darkness of the world...

Some years ago I read a book about a couple of nutjobs who decided to try the 13 most dangerous sports they could find. They did a skydive, ice climbing and other spectacularly stupid activities which probably saw their adrenal glands grow to the size of a grapefruit.

Now I like a good fix of adrenaline... but cave diving... oh my... cave diving, you have to be 100% certifiable in my book. This is a statement made by someone who has a considerable penchant for adrenal gland tickling. As I have mentioned before I have tried most dangerous sports and activities, with a handful of exceptions. I have had professional MMA fights, which while not directly life threatening presents a degree of nervousness and anxiety for one's health and safety. In other words, I feel well qualified to reiterate my point.

"Cave divers are as mad as a box of frogs high on sugary espresso."

'So how does this apply to my Christian life Mr Bear?' I hear you say. Well, in this book the writer explained some of the pitfalls and dangers of deep cave diving. First off they have to be sure when they go very deep into a network of caves that they have enough air to get them back to the surface. So they can't afford to get lost or hang around looking at the rocks. Run out short of the surface and it is fair to assume you'd regret it. Negotiating a maze underwater can't be easy either, so, in their cunning these lunatics often use a 'lifeline' (cave divers please excuse the incorrect terminology - I'm sure it is some sort of 'personal rescue guide cord' or a complicated word I can't spell... I'm calling it a lifeline).

Now in deep caves there can be silt that has settled over maybe hundreds of years, maybe more (though you and I know it can't be millions of years hehehe). So whilst swishing on by they try hard to keep their fins off the floor. If they do touch the bottom the silt kicks up in clouds and vision is quickly lost and then, barring a wait of several hundred years for it to clear it will stay that way till further notice.

The author went to great lengths to explain that in this instance the lifeline becomes exactly that. When you can see nothing you can't orient yourself. Underwater in the dark (lights won't help in this case) one can even lose the sense of which way is up and down. You could swim into a dead end, a bottomless hole... or you could miss the lifeline by a centimetre as you flounder in the dark. Distance makes no odds, miss the lifeline and fail to find it before your air runs out and. You. Are, DEAD.

It is that simple. One slip, one mistake. Kick up the silt and not having a firm grasp on that line means you are potentially and likely a goner.

What would you do? I would certainly be tempted to do the following:

1. Never ever, ever let go of the lifeline.
2. Be incredibly careful that it wasn't me who stirred up the silt and muddied the waters.
3. Keep the closest of eyes on and have a close relationship with that precious life giving rope.
4. Trust the lifeline to lead me out safely.

It's a very simple analogy really. But if one were to use the analogy that the lifeline is Christ and the muddied waters can be likened to living in this world of sin it rings so true. Incredibly Christians so often loosen that grip on the lifeline of Christ. They take their eyes off the route out of the deep dark cave. They pause and look around and sometimes leave the lifeline to inspect things that intrigue them. Its crazy isn't it? Dare we risk losing site of the lifeline of Christ? He'll rescue His people for sure, but what a traumatic experience it would be to feel so lost in the muddy waters. Especially when we were all once there before and must remember what it was like to be lost?

In the deepest darkest muddiest of waters you can be guided to that lifeline. We should cling to Christ and the cross because He and it is our route out, our salvation. We can get so comfortable and over familiar with the lifeline we lose respect for its saving powers and importance. In that cave it should be pre-eminent. The most important thing.

We need to guide other divers to the lifeline too. Because in those dark waters, like was explained, someone could flounder and miss the rope by a millimetre, they could think they were swimming the right way but get lost. Some might even try and guide others the way they think is right. But only the lifeline can lead you to the surface... and fresh air and light... and life.

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Jonah 2: 5 and 6

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