Immersed in a Project

Into what do you immerse yourself? Lately, I’ve neglected many things that I both enjoy and feel as though need to be done. Writing here for JonahzSong is one. There are others. But I pulled out a project I’d planned doing at some point. It was one of those “some time or other when I gather what is needed, I’ll do (insert project here).” I became totally immersed in it. It took a while just to clean my shop to make room. I reorganized. I planned. I executed the plan, and revised as I went along. I set up some machinery. I studied the manuals and watched videos on various operations, procedures. I’m at a point now that I can back away for a bit, let things gel, and next week get into the production phase.

When I think about it, I’ve done this sort of thing before. Like when I started thinking about Amateur Radio. I read every thing I could find on the subject. I talked to a few people, but didn’t really find anyone who actually operated “ham” radio, as it’s often referred. When I figured out what was needed, I immersed myself in studying electronics, taking classes and reading on my own. I learned morse code. I built a radio from a kit that would transmit and receive morse code. I built an antenna and erected on top of my trailer. Then I took the test at the Federal Communications Commission Office in Fresno, CA—a drive of over two hours. Once I received my license in the mail, I was off to my first QSO—with a woman down in Texas.

When I put my entire self into something, I really enjoy the whole process it involves. My Dad would plan and prepare for some trip or other, even just a camping trip, and get into that process, enjoying it even more than the destination. It’s just fun.

I confess that there are somethings I’ve immersed myself into that later I simple set aside, no longer interested finding interest. But as they say, “It’s like riding a bike, you just get on and go.” There’s no steep learning curve the second time around. Things that involve the mind and the body develop a muscle memory. Riding a bike. Sure, there may be a bit of rust to get off, some stiffness to overcome. But you can do it.

The thing is, religion isn’t like that at all. One can’t just immerse himself or herself into it, set it aside, and expect to just come back to it where it was left off. Well, maybe that can be done with a religion that doesn’t require a commitment, and unique relationship with the religion’s founder, and isn’t a living religion, but one that is dead and simply a study of history.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8 ESV)

One be immersed into the Bible, but can’t simple set it aside, and continue on. It’s like a brass or silver candlestick set on the mantel. If not attended to, it becomes tarnished. It takes daily work to maintain it. When it’s tarnished, it takes work to bring it back to its former luster. Study of the scriptures and thinking about the scriptures is part of it. But there’s more. It’s like a marriage in which a couple must keep alive the interest and focus upon each other. With Christianity, there is a relationship with the Creator of the Universe based, not upon our wonderful nature and inherent goodness, but on the goodness and righteousness of Y’shuaJesus. To maintain our Christianity, we must maintain our relationship with Messiah Y’shuaJesus.

As humans we will inevitably experience difficulties in our lives on Earth. There is going to be sadness. There is going to be tragedy. It’s just the way it is. All experience these things—believers and unbelievers. Sometimes it’s these tragedies that serve to draw back to G-d those who’ve fallen away. They’re like wake-up calls. In the midst of a horrible experience we have a choice to turn to, or return to, G-d.

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

We all experience tragedy in our lives. The marked difference between those who believe in Y’shuaJesus and those who don’t is the faith believers have in that at the end of our days upon Earth, we go home to a place of peace where there are no more tears, where people get along, where there is no hunger or war anymore.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon you and yours. . .

Daily Writing Prompt Immerse