Sharks

 

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement

Sharks

            The sea roiled with a school of fish leaping out of the water. Were they jumping to escape the mouth of a shark?  Our family hastened out of the water to observe from the shore. Several fins appeared and the jumping intensified as the fish tried to avoid the predators. Those of us lining the shore breathed in a collective gasp as one the sharks leaped into the air and spun around giving us a clear view of his gaping mouth and teeth. Indeed, several sharks were lunching close to our shore. One of us ran down the beach to warn unaware swimmers still in the water. At the frantic hand motions and shouts of “get out” they scurried for the beach in time to avoid the fish swimming fast in their direction. The beach was lined with people watching nature’s demonstration of the food chain.

 

The presence of a large school of fish close to the shore, a flock of Pelican’s flying low in search of a meal before diving into the sea to emerge with fish after fish in their mouths tipped us off that for now we needed to leave the shallow waters to the natural inhabitants. What are some of life’s warning signs that we are in an area that isn’t safe for us? How do we recognize when we should leave a place or even never go there in the first place because there are natural hazards or manmade ones? Careful attention to common warning signs like the fins, pelicans, and presence of tasty fish can alert us to danger, but training ourselves to listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit to our souls is an important protection in every situation. Practice talking to God about your plans. Leave time to hear or feel his approval or caution. Over time we will learn to recognize the nudge of caution from God. Often He uses another person to carry His message. Discerning what is a word from Him and what is a word from worried people is an important skill to develop. God help us recognize your guidance, then help us follow it.