We just got back from vacation. Our three kids are now at the age that it is very difficult to get our entire family together at the same time for vacation. It has been a while since we were able to do that, but it was really nice.
We had never been to Cozumel before -- an island off the Mexican coast known for its underwater coral reefs. With our hotel packages, some of us could take a "Discovery Scuba" lesson, so our three kids decided to. It was a little unnerving to watch the three of them descend beneath the surface of the ocean for the first time and not immediately resurface. Then they started to head out into deeper water. (I thought it would only a few minutes.) Almost thirty minutes later they emerged from the water - alive. Yea!
They decided to take a longer, second dive later in the week, so Pam and I decided to go snorkeling at the same time. We all left from the same pier on different boats -- not knowing where the others were going. Pam and I were out snorkeling, enjoying some amazing views of fish that we had never seen before, when all of the sudden I looked at the bottom of the ocean floor beneath us and saw four scuba divers moving along. Then I realized it was our three kids and their diving instructor! I tried to call to them and wave, but that didn't work too well underwater.
Yet, I had a certain feeling of parental pride as they disappeared into the deeper water on their own. I wonder if that is how God, as our loving parent, views us from time to time - especially when we do something new on our own. Does God take a healthy pride in seeing his children mature and become the followers God created us to be? Well, I think God does. So today, remember how God delights whenever you do the amazing things God created you to do.
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
-Ephesians 2:10, NIV
Prayer for Today
Loving God, you made each one of us in your image for a purpose. Thank you for giving us life. Thank you for this day. Help us to grow into the man or woman you designed us to be so that we might do your good works. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
