OOOOOH!!!! A Dolphin?!!

“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.”  ~unknown

I have been working on the other side of the bay quite a bit lately.   At first, I wasn’t too thrilled about the drive.  It’s not that far, but the traffic can be a challenge.  However, I have found myself enjoying the drive and somewhat looking forward to it.  It is good for my soul to be near water.  It calms me.  I am refreshed even at the sight of it.  Early morning, (in spite of traffic) it’s so beautiful to see the sun rising in the sky; or the stillness of fog hovering above the water.

It is out of my commute that the Lord began to speak to me this week.  You see, just at my first glimpse of water, on the edge of the bay something caught my eye.  Daily, my eye would behold a slight hump above the water and some ripples around it.  My heart would leap at what I thought could be a dolphin.  I have lived near their habitat for 30 years now, but I am still thrilled at a sighting!  However, as I drove closer, I would realize that it was not a friend with a fin, but a piece of drift wood.  EVERY day last week, I repeated this scenario on my commute.

One day I went in to the office earlier, closer to daybreak.  Through the trees I saw a reddish hue.  My heart warmed at what was to be a most beautiful sunrise; I was sure.  However, as I drove closer, I realized it was not the glow of the sun but the incandescence of a Walgreens sign.

I marvelled  at how I had been tricked.  I mean, really!  I can see a one time drug store duping, but a daily dolphin distortion?!!!  Believe it or not, it is from such things that God Almighty  speaks to me.

I began to ponder how easily we humans can be deceived.  We truly need to have the mind of Christ as the enemy of our soul appears as an angel of light(2 Cor 11:14).  Something can appear to us as true and good; and we want it to be so.  But, it might not be so.  In relationships, finances, business ventures, decision making we need to present it all to God and let Him sort through things for us.  God will shed His Truth and Light on our every day matters and lead us to clarity.

My other prevailing thought in this scenario is that we as humans are wired to be hopeful.  We want to see the dolphin and the pretty sunrise.  We want to see and believe the best.  We were made for that.  God’s original intent for us was that we would only know His Truth.  We would always communicate with Him as a friend.  We would never see destruction.  We would never know death or separation or loss.  We would be living in pure, unpolluted beauty and He would be our Light.  We were made to live and never lack for hope.

Lumps of wood and artifical light are poor substitutes.  But, when we want to see the best, sometimes we can be duped by cheap imitations.  Eventually they will be found out for what they truly are.  In my commute there were no consequences to this deception.  In life, the consequences can be grave.

We need to stay close to Jesus.

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  2 Peter 3:15

Father, help us to cling to You and Your hope.  Help us to walk in Your Truth and Light and not be deceived.  Thank You that You have wired us to look for and believe for the best.  Help us to be wise in our understanding.  Help us to have Your mind.  Help us to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.  Help us to discern, but not become suspicious or critical or judgmental.  Help us to remain as innocent children before their Daddy.  Help us to stay on the straight and narrow path which leads to life.  Help us to always enter through the narrow gate of Your will and lead us in Your ways.  We place our trust in You alone as the Shepherd of our souls.  I pray these things for Your glory and for our protection.  In Jesus name, I pray.  Amen.

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