Deeper Than the Deepest Ocean
The deepest part of the ocean is the called the Challenger Deep. It is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which is southwest of the United States territorial island of Guam. This trench is approximately 36,000 feet deep, or in other words, slightly less than seven miles, and got its name after the unmanned British Royal Navy vessel HMS Challenger made sound recordings of the depth in 1875. The first manned descent to this depth was not until 1960. “Deep” is not a point on the map, but rather, deeps are long trenches on the ocean’s floor.
Now quiet yourself and imagine the extreme expanse of an ocean. I love to stand at the ocean’s shoreline, with the swash (water washing up the beach from a wave break) and the backwash (you figure this one out) gently rolling over my bare feet, cool sand between my toes, breathing in the smell of salty air, listening to the various sounds, while looking out to the horizon. I often wonder how deep the water is on the horizon. And just how far is the horizon anyway? It sure does seem like a long way off. The distance to the horizon depends upon the height of one’s eyes above the surface.
To determine how far the horizon is for you, use this simple calculation – The square root of the sum of the height of your eyes above ground level multiplied by 1.5. Say what? I am 5-9. My eyes are about 5 inches from the top of my head. Standing barefoot on the shoreline, my eyes are 5-1/3 feet above the ground. 5.33 multiplied by 1.5 is 7.995. The square root of that number is 2.83. So, for me, the horizon is just under three miles.
The deepest part of the ocean is more than two times as far as I can see. By my way of thinking, that is deep and deeper. Scripture describes God’s love as even being deeper than the deepest part of the ocean and extending well past the horizon’s distance. God’s love is immeasurable.
Immeasurable is different than unmeasurable. Unmeasurable simply means something cannot be measured, for any number of reasons. Simply by looking out over the ocean, the depth of the water at the horizon is unmeasurable by me. On the other hand, immeasurable means something is too immense or boundless to be measured. Its size is just too great.
The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 3:18, describes God’s immeasurable love this way – “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
In the verse that follows, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (v.19).
So, in these last few days leading up to Christmas Day, the arrival of Advent’s expectant waiting, take time to pause, to simply ruminate on God’s immeasurable, immense, unending, amazing love. Love that became a baby. Love that is found in God’s own Son, Jesus (name: God saves) the Christ (title: anointed one). Love that is found in Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Love that is found in Immanuel, God with us.
This will be my last writing until after Christmas. I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas. May you experience resilient hope, unfailing peace, indescribable joy, unending love, as you are made complete with all fullness of life and power that comes from God’s immeasurable love for you. A love deeper than the deepest ocean (Ephesians 3:16-19)
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