Go Deep

I hear the announcer say, "Jeff Demps is deep for Florida." He then goes on to describe the athletic gifts and talents of Jeff Demps. After a bit, I realize that the athlete that gets to go deep, is a very well-conditioned, well-trained, and hard-working member of the team. The rookie walk-on does not get to go deep. The lazy one that won't study the playbook does not get to go deep. The one that goes deep has to demonstrate a high level of willingness to sweat more, risk more of themselves, and deal with the pain. Then Coach chooses who will go deep for the team. Coach knows who He wants out there making the decision to run or call for a fair catch. Coach knows who is ready to go deep. The athlete doesn't get to choose. Except to excuse himself. 
I am guessing that Jeff Demps stayed pretty close to the coaching staff, and thereby learn more and eventually share in the glory.
God calls us to prepare to go deep. Some of us won't. Some of us won't bother to show up to work hard. I am currently being really blessed in our Tuesday morning Bible Study. We are going through a study written by Beth Moore called A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place. A recent lesson talks about the altar of sacrifice and the fire contained in it.  Beth Moore states, "Only fire originating from Himself could truly purify and consume, or approve an offering. Therefore the fire must never be allowed to go out. Wood had to be added continually so that the original, divine flame would never be exhausted. God lit the fire, humans had to fuel it." Nothing has changed. Salvation lights a holy fire in the heart of every believer. However, we have to continually fuel and stoke that flame. 2Timothy 2:1-5 teaches us that athletes and soldiers must endure hardship in order to be found fit for service. You've seen the bumper sticker, no cross no crown. But this more than a bumper sticker. This is life.
Mark 8:34 says, When He(Jesus) had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them,"Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
A cross is heavy. Jesus carried the cross-beam that His hands would be nailed to, across his shoulders uphill. The beam represented my sin and yours. He was the sinless, perfect one. The Lord Jesus carried the heaviness and weightiness of our transgression against God on His shoulders. The above verse says that He called the people and His disciples. Some would be willing to go deep. Some would not. Scripture tells us that some walked away when it was time to get to work. Jesus supplies the fire, the energy. The Holy Spirit teaches/reminds/coaches us  in preparation to
 go deep.