My husband Mike has been repairing our old bow front fish tank, which has been taking up space in the garage for close to a year-and-a-half. It had to be put into “retirement” because of a crack in its top frame https://www.tracisilvaauthor.com/2022/10/04/what-are-we-going-to-do/.
We’ve been grateful for the replacement tank but miss the unique look of the bow front. In the meantime, our homework has been done to hopefully ensure renewed stability of the tank and we’re on track to have it habitable within a couple of weeks. 🐟
Most mornings after feeding the fish, I’ll watch for a few minutes as they dash around catching their floating food, looking for just the right sized bit. My favorite is when one of them takes in a big bite, only to blow it back out broken up. Then that same fish will go about chasing each tiny piece it produced.
Often, I’ll get an extra laugh as our cat leaps up and down at the impossible catch of the day.
The past couple of mornings though, observing the inhabitants of our tank has come with reflection on how dependently fishlike I am – we all are – on the Lord. 🐠
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you.
The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.
This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.”
– Exodus 16:4 ESV
My current mindset comes from the start of a fresh reading of the book of Exodus along with my YouVersion https://www.youversion.com/ group. It sparked me to think back to when I first began to really understand the Exodus story – the human nature of it all. I thought piously when putting myself in the place of the Israelites – shaking my head in wonder as to what they may have been thinking? How could they not trust and have faith in God who was showing Himself in such symbolic and fiery ways? How could you walk through parted sea and then doubt God to provide you with water? The questions could go on, but…
Like me, as you have lived and have been seasoned, do you see yourself in similar headspace(s) as what the Israelites may have been in? 😮
A couple of weeks ago, I commented to Mike about how dim the tank was looking.
“Babe, when we switch the tank over, can we make it more tropical? I’m tired of the beige rocks,” I asked, and we agreed.
A few days afterward, I noticed the heater in the tank wasn’t working. Upon arrival of a new one, I scooted back the light bar and flipped over the back part of the top glass on the tank.
“Oh yuck!” I said out loud to no one, “that has to be cleaned off!”
Of course, I’ve seen and dealt with algae in the tank before, but what grows on the underside of the top glass seems different, and I wondered if there was any way to stop it. So, I hit up our friend Google®. That’s when I learned that what I was dealing with is really a bacteria called Cyanobacteria aka blue-green slime https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/blue-green-algae
Oh, great.😫
After squeegeeing and scrubbing off the slime, replacing the heater, and putting everything back in order, I stepped back to check out my work.
“Viola” I thought. “The dimness of the tank didn’t have much to do with the color of the rocks after all. It was because the light wasn’t getting in!”
The tank came alive again.
“Isn’t that like what Jesus is for us. He’s our slime squeegee!” 😊
“Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness
but will have the light of life.”
– John 8:12 ESV
Just prior to exposing Himself as the Light, the apostle John tells us about Jesus’ encounter with some scribes and Pharisees who were up in arms about a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).
Now, that’s a mucky situation, but Jesus is the ultimate cleaner.
Scripture doesn’t tell us what Jesus wrote on the ground that caused the scribes and Pharisees to go “away one by one,” but we’re left with the impression that they probably left feeling pretty slimy – now, there’s an oxymoron for you. 👈
King David found himself in many compromising situations, including an adulterous one that affected many others as well (1 Samuel 11-12:23).
Sin slime happens, and a huge part of what God loved about King David was his heart of repentance.
My home church Calvary teaches transparency, and that’s exactly what the prophet Nathan was sent to school King David in. In return, King David gave us psalms, including Psalm 32, which starts out with a beautiful picture of Jesus. 🙏
“What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over!
What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. There was a time
when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days
with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a
sunny day. Until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself,
“I will confess them to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”
– Psalm 32:1-5 TLB (Paraphrased)
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