I live on a fresh water lake and it’s not uncommon to see fish jumping out of the water in mid-air and then plunging back into the lake. The fish I speak about are called carp; unattractive, slimy and are almost exclusively bottom feeders. So, why do they do that whole ‘out of water’ acrobatic thing? Read on.

Carp have a reputation for being a nuisance fish because they have a remarkable ability to live and reproduce in most every water condition and are highly tolerant of pollution. For this reason, they can quickly overtake other waterways where most native species could not live.

These fish are notorious for altering their environment and when introduced into an alien habitat they can become a dangerous and an invasive species. Their bottom feeding habits can cause great destruction of aquatic resources as they stir up silt and degrade the water quality resulting in loss of other more desirable fish and animals.

Let me introduce you to Satan, another bottom feeder. 

Satan and his angels of darkness are much like carp as they lurk about in the muddy waters and marshes of our life. They are looking to degrade, destroy and reduce the quality of our God-given inheritance through Christ Jesus.

The enemy of our soul stirs up the sediment of our sin in an effort to spawn larvae that will impact our ability to grow and thrive in the fresh waters of God’s grace and mercy. Oh, and did I mention that carp are excellent fighters? They don’t give up easily and neither do Satan and his host of demons.

Are you skimming the bottom in your life choices?

If you answered yes, chances are good you are like a carp weighted with air and destined to sink to the bottom where powers of darkness wait to feed on your soul.  If you are only treading the bottom waters in knowing and pursuing God’s Word you are spawning algae and other spiritual consequences.

And, so…?

The ‘and so’ is to stop letting the carp attitude populate and invade your ‘redeemed’ territory. Christian’s aren’t bottom feeders. We are an ordained species designed to bring forth life and fight against the powers of darkness (in this scenario, carp and the bottom feeders of darkness).

God intended us to move forward in righteousness so we can grow, flourish and swim in the streams of His living water. I don’t believe carp will be found in the heaven’s river of life or feasted on at God’s banquet table.

The first reference to the carp fish appears in the, “Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Angle.” There carp is described as:

“He is an evil fish to take. For he is so strongly armored in the mouth that no light tackle may hold him.”

Hmmm…does that sound a little bit like Satan in our life on occasion?

Stop being a carp!. It’s an impressive spectacle when carp do aerobatics, but it’s done to force air into its swim bladder allowing the fish to continually adjust to deep water diving.

I’d rather be the fish doing cartwheels across the lake because I’ve been delivered from the darkness of sin rather than a carp doing a belly flop so they can continue to feast in the deep waters that degrade my soul.

TODAY’S PRAYER:

Father God, I don’t want to be like the carp that is an ongoing bottom feeder. There are some who find it to be a tasty catch, but not me. I want to feast and thrive in the still, clear, living waters of your Word. Make all that I ingest pure and keep me from swimming with carp in the murky waters that have become the dumping grounds of Satan.

Today let me surface out of the waters of life rejoicing that you have delivered me out of darkness into your marvelous light.

Amen