Psalm 42:7 says, "Deep calls unto
deep." Only a call from the depths
can provoke a response from the
depths. Nothing shallow can ever
touch the depths, nor can anything
superficial touch the inward parts.
Only the deep will respond to the
deep. Anything that does not issue
from the depths cannot touch the
depths. Others can respond deep
within to only what issues from deep
within us. When we go to a certain
place and listen to a message, the
only thing that touches us is
something that has issued from the
depths of others. If nothing comes
from the depths, the help we receive
is just superficial. We have to see the
importance of the depths. Anything
that is not from the depths will never
reach the depths of others. If we have
never received help or benefit in our
depths, we will never have anything
issuing from our depths. If we want
to render spiritual help to others,
something must issue from our
depths. If we do not dig deep, we can
never gain others. Unless our
utterance is from the depths, we will
not touch the depths in others, even
though we gain their emotions and
thoughts and make them cry or be
happy or excited for a while. Only
deep calls unto deep. Superficial
expressions will not touch the depths
of others.
DEEP ROOTS
One principle in preaching and
receiving the word is found in the
Lord's parable of the sower. While the
sower sowed, some seeds fell beside
the way, some on the rocky place,
some into the thorns, and some into
the good earth. This shows us four
different ways for man to receive the
word. The Lord Jesus tells us that
among these different conditions, one
is the rocky place. There is a little
earth on the surface, but underneath
there are rocks. When the seed falls
into this kind of ground, it springs up
quickly, but as soon as the sun comes
out, it withers because of the lack of
root.
What is a root? It is growth that
occurs beneath the soil. What are the
leaves? They are growth that occur
above the soil. In other words, roots
are the hidden life, whereas leaves
are the manifest life. The trouble with
many Christians is that, while there is
much apparent life, there is very little
secret life. In other words, there is the
lack of a hidden life. You have been a
Christian for a number of years, have
you not? Then let me ask: How much
of your life is hidden from view? How
much is unknown to others? You
stress outward works. Yes, good
works are important; but apart from
that manifest expression of your life,
how much of your life remains
hidden? If all your spiritual life is
exposed, you do not have any root.
Are all your virtues before God
manifested before man, or is there
something more that is unknown to
man? If all your experiences are
manifested, then all your growth is
upward; there is no downward
growth. If this is the case, you are a
person who has only leaves without
root, and you are on shallow ground.
In our Christian life it is necessary that
we learn the meaning of the Body of
Christ; we must learn to have a life of
the Body. On the other hand, we
must learn that the life given to each
member of His Body by the Lord is
distinctly individual. The measure that
has been given to you personally by
Him needs to be guarded; otherwise,
it will lose its specific character and
will be of no particular use to God. If
that which has been specially
committed to you is exposed, it will
wither.
The discourse of the Lord Jesus on
the Mount was most remarkable. On
the one hand He said, "You are the
light of the world. It is impossible for
a city situated upon a mountain to be
hidden" (Matt. 5:14). It is open. On
the other hand He said, "When you
give alms, do not let your left hand
know what your right hand is doing,
so that your alms may be in
secret;...when you pray, enter into
your private room, and shut your
door and pray to your Father who is
in secret" (Matt. 6:3-4, 6). On the one
hand, if you are a Christian, you must
come right out into the open and
make a public profession; on the
other hand, there are Christian virtues
which you should preserve from the
public gaze. The Christian who
parades all his virtues before men and
who does not have anything in the
depth of his being has no root; he will
not be able to stand in the day of trial
and temptation.
We have been the Lord's children
many years; may the Lord open our
eyes and show us the extent to which
our experiences have been hidden
from public view. How much would
be left if what is known by man was
taken away? May God work in us so
that we can take root downward.