“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,” says John 1:14, NIV
Is it possible to not notice something so noticeable?
Our group went on a dinner cruise last week in Daytona Beach, Florida. As we boarded the ship, there was a drizzle of rain for a short period, which helped cool down the temperature. Thank God! Everybody found their table and seat and began enjoying everyone’s company. You could hear people having good conversations with their friends. At our table, we told jokes to each other that generated waves of laughter. Then, the main course was ready to serve, which everyone had been anticipating. The food was excellent, and the evening meal was highlighted with a fabulous dessert. Everything seemed normal – the boat, food, and table fellowship. The festivity appeared to be going so well.
Then, something extraordinary happened that caught the attention of every person on the cruise. Twin dolphins emerged on the surface of the water. These two beautiful animals graciously treated our group with graceful maneuvers on the water. They made themselves so evident that nobody could ignore their presence. I’ve never seen a group of adults be so eager to see dolphins in the water. Everyone stood up from their seats to get a closer view of this extra treat of the evening. Many people took photos with the dolphins while they danced and jumped, as they are known to do with excellent skills. Their appearance didn’t last too long, but the joy it brought remained in the hearts of everyone on the ship.
When the dolphins emerged from underneath the water, they captured our attention. We stopped everything we were doing at the time so we could see their lovely presence in our midst with much enthusiasm. Even when they decided to go back underneath and were no longer visible to us, we could feel and know that they kept dancing in the water and singing along with us as we returned to the pier. They indeed made their presence known, bringing tremendous blessings to our group.
The Scriptures in John 1:14 reminds us that God is dwelling among us. Often, God shows up like the dolphins in the story. When God shows up, it is very noticeable, and one can’t help but to recognize God’s presence. Whether God is on the “surface of the water” or “underneath the water,” we can feel God’s gracious companionship with us. I wonder, can one be obscured by something obvious? God being among us is self-evident and prominent and should catch our attention. Isn’t that true? God’s abiding and comforting presence is noticeable. Do you notice it?
Prayer Song:
He Abides by Herbert Buffum
I’m rejoicing night and day,
As I walk the pilgrim way,
For the hand of God in all my life see,
And the reason of my bliss,
Yes, the secret all is this:
That the Comforter abides with me.
He abides…. He abides…
Hallelujah, He abides with me!
I’m rejoicing night and day,
As I walk the narrow way,
For the Comforter abides with me.
He is with me everywhere,
And He knows my every care,
I’m as happy as a bird and just as free;
For the Spirit has control,
Jesus satisfies my soul,
Since the Comforter abides with me. Amen.
