Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.”
St. Augustine
Whew!
Now there’s a thought that will ruminate for a while in the cavity occasionally occupied by my brain. I wonder at what point in our lives we seem to lose it—that sense of all the wonder—not only around us—but also that God created within us?
Interesting though, that such an ageless human malady doesn’t seem to be experienced by our children or grandchildren, who with eyes-wide-open explore not only the wonders of God’s creation all around them but also the wonder of God’s creation which is them.
Until, dare I say, those older and wiser than them—namely us—have a chance to throw our own cold-water on their sense of wonder in all which God created within them. Until they grow older like some of us. That’s not how the Creator intended it to be, for them or for us, at any age.
Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, tells the story about a make-believe town where only ducks lived. It was Sunday morning in Duckville and all the ducks were waddling down the street to the First Duckist Church.
As they entered the church, they waddled down the aisles, into the pews, and squatted ever-so-politely into their seats. The duck minister took his place in the pulpit and the church service began.
The scripture text for the morning was taken from the duck Bible and read:
Ducks, God has given you wings—you can fly.
Ducks, because you have wings—you can fly like the eagles.
Ducks, because God has given you wings—
no fences can confine you,
no land animals can trap you.
Ducks! God has given you wings!
And all the ducks together roared, “Amen!” And then they all got up—and waddled out of their pews and out of the church and all the way back home.
It seems that too many of us, all too often, waddle through life and draw away from, instead of tapping into, all the potential God has placed in our lives. The reasons we recite, and the excuses we give, are many and seemingly justifiable and, on the surface somewhat persuasive.
Yet they are all rubbish.
And all of those reasons and excuses simply block the potential which is placed within us. The potential that when fully realized and utilized, would cause us to fly to the exhilarating heights God intended for us to reach, and where we are sure to catch a glimpse of His smiling reflection.
And as a result, way too many of us come to the end of our days never having reached our full God-given potential. We accept life as it comes to us, waddle through each day thinking we are making the best of it, instead of taking each day of our lives and “shaking it to pieces!”
That’s what I’m sure God intended for each of us to do with the privilege and wonder of the life He created within each one of us, and entrusted to us to use for His glory, our good and the good of others. To take our life and “shake it to pieces!” To take our lives, and with them soar beyond our wildest dreams, where God stands ready to help them come true.
That’s what I’m certain He envisioned in His creation of so many of you who come to mind now as I sit here, as well as members of my family and the precious granddaughters He created and entrusted to us.
That’s what He envisioned for all of us to whom He has given wings to fly, wings to soar, wings to reach and touch His face in the heavens above.
The wonder of His creation—that’s you and me. And no matter what we have done with it before, the key question and choice for each of us in this brand new day is—what will we do with it today and every day for the rest of our lives?
Soar!
In His Name—Scott
Copyright 2013. Scott L. Whitaker. All rights reserved.
