Dolphin Watching

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20.

This is most likely a picture of something to you, but to me this is a picture of nothing.  The reason why is because minutes earlier there were 3 dolphins frolicking in the water together.  I was walking across a bridge as part of my morning exercise and glanced down to discover this early morning play.  I watched for a minute or so and decided to take a picture.  Once I had my camera pulled up on my phone this is all I saw.   Nothing…I stood there for what seemed like an eternity only to see nothing.  I watched the water like waiting for a pot to boil, and still the surface was not broken again.  There I stood watching and waiting in vain…no dolphins…no sighting…no image. 

Like you, I have had times in my life when I was watching my circumstances waiting for resolution to break through the surface of my life.  A time where it seemed forever ago when life was smooth and days were not laced with sadness and worry.  Like me, centuries ago there were 3 soldiers who stood outside the grave also waiting and watching.  Three men given the responsibility to ensure Jesus was still entombed, and His body not stolen.  No doubt, they never took their eyes off the rock…the horizon…the circumstances.  And yet, ‘dolphins broke through the surface’ at God’s command and Christ was raised from the dead.  They had watched the stone in vain…the resurrection came from within the darkness.  The image was forever captured in Holy Writ and in the hearts of men.  When God robbed the grave, the men realized that their watch was futile.  Keeping their eyes on the circumstances was worthless and nothing was gained from their focus. 

I still have some dolphins that I am waiting to see, and an image in my mind that my camera will someday capture.  It will be a beautiful picture of an answered prayer for which I have been waiting…watching…longing for.  I’m sure that you have dreams to come true, and prayers to be answered.  Dreams for a spouse, dreams for a child, dreams for a job.  Prayers for healing, prayers for relationships, prayers for relief, prayers for comfort.  The list goes on and on, and our Father knows what we need and desire even before we know.  God is going about His business for us, so we should go about our business for Him.  We can neither watch for things that are out of our control, nor demand our will over them.  We must just keep walking, and keep our eyes on Him.  

One day I am confident that I will glance into the water and not see 3 dolphins but 300 dolphins!  I will look in hindsight and see the thousands of prayers answered from a Father who has planned everything for our lives before we lived out one day.  Keep on believing…keep on walking…keep on living!