300!
300 stair steps down and up ... to walk and see what was created about 200 to 300 million years ago!
An underground river carved the 78-acre cavern — not that you go through it all on tour. Visitors walk through about a third of it with three levels at a constant 60 degrees.
Indians knew of the cave and used the underground river for raids, but the entrance was very small and narrow. Locals weren’t much interested in the caves, so it was forgotten.
Samuel Sesler discovered the cave in 1863 when he was digging out a cellar. Visitors can see the narrow hole in the earth he bravely entered and descended into the cave using ropes.
He found he could’t use it as a store room because mold and mildew formed. A new owner opened the cave to the public in 1944.
Limestone gravel and clay were used to make concrete stairs and walkways along with metal handrails. As our family made our way through the dramatically lighted stalactites, stalagmites and wildly shaped formations, we were in awe of the grandeur, majesty and beauty that we were unaware was right beneath our feet.
There are caves included in the Bible. Lot’s family hid in a cave after Sodom was destroyed for their sins. Jesus was buried after he died until His resurrection in a cave which was a common practice for burials in the past. You can find more caves mentioned.
Psalm 95:3-4 says: “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.”
He’s God! Of course, He created the underground caves and beauty as well as towering mountains!
We can see the underground depths illustrate God’s love for us although we cannot fully explain His incredible love: “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.” ~ Ephesians 3:17 NLT
Proverbs 18:15 says: “Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.”
Thinking about what beauty and mystery was right below our feet, unknown and unseen until we went where it had been opened, cleared and dug out, I thought about how we can let our relationship with God be topical, shallow or on the surface of our lives.
We need to pray, read our Bibles and seek God’s Word and understanding through the Holy Spirit. We can dig deep into God’s teachings in the Bible and ask Him to come close to us and lead us as we walk through life.
Go where Christians are, where God is preached, where Christians worship and proclaim His Truth and the depths of His love and salvation.
Dig deep!
