THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
HI!
If a bunch of geese are called a "gaggle,"
is a bunch of pelicans called a "paggle?"
(((The following devotion was written by Phil Morgan of
http://www.philandpammorgan.com/Home/
It was copied with Phil' permission)))
_______________________________________________________________________
________SCRIPTURE_____________________________________________________
Ps 42:1
To the chief Musician, Mas'-chil, for the sons of Ko'rah.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
KJV
________________________________________________________________________
_______THOUGHT_________________________________________________________
On our recent trip to Marco Island, Florida, we stayed in a beautiful condo on the north end of the island. Right out our back door was a beautiful bay complete with palm trees. What a magnificent sight! A boardwalk ran along the bay leading to the restaurant, two tennis courts, two swimming pools, three hot tubs and vacationers of all shapes and sizes. There was also a dock with several boats and folks with fishing lines dangling in the deep blue water.
One evening, we grabbed our cameras and headed out to capture the sights. We snapped a variety of flowers, trees, birds and tiny lizards that scurried away at our approach. Among our favorites were the pelicans. They were obviously very used to the tourist crowd and posed like movie stars at a grand opening.
As we were walking, a boat pulled up to the dock and some boys about the same age as our kids age hopped off. They were just back from a family fishing excursion and reeled in over forty beautiful snappers and mackerels. (I'm getting hungry just writing this!) They filleted the fish on a conveniently located fish stand right there on the dock. For coastal folks this may not be a big deal, but to us landlocked midwesterners, this was high entertainment.
As soon as they started hauling out the fish, a huge crowd of pelicans (if it's a gaggle of geese, is it a paggle of pelicans?) swarmed to the water right in front of the cleaning stand. They waited eagerly, watching the fishermen with great anticipation. The boys flopped a fish on the stand, sliced off two beautiful fillets and slung the remaining parts out to the waiting pelicans. Next was a commotion of epic and comic proportions as the pelicans fought and splashed to see who would be the lucky diner of the evening. Soon a winner was declared and the rest would turn back to the fish stand, mouths half open and wings fluttering with excitement.
This sight brought to mind the opening verse of Psalm 42, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." I wonder if the writer was hanging out in the woods one day when he happened upon a deer eagerly lapping up water from a cool, crystal clear stream. It's not hard for our thoughts to drift to God when we are surrounded by his creation.
My visit with the pelicans brought that scripture to life for me. They were so focused, so excited... they so anticipated and longed for tiniest morsel that would fall from above. I wish my desire for God was that intense on a daily basis. No distractions could tear away my attention, no disappointment could dampen my devotion. No frustration in the wait, just expectation that something wonderful is coming. The psalmist goes on in verse 2 to ask, "When can I go and meet with God?" The answer is right now. God is right where you are, ready to nourish your soul with his very presence.
It took a hungry pelican to remind me of this awesome truth. There's nothing fishy about that!
Love ya,
Bruce