The Whale's Predicament

Proverbs 12:11 – He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. (NIV)

The whale had followed a delectable small fish called a capelin into the inlet. The lighthouse keeper told us that he was "beached" in shallow water until something led him back out to sea. Our tour group stood watching the poor whale as he struggled in the shallow water, wondering what would happen if he did not find his way back out into the deeper waters of the Atlantic. The shallow water of the inlet near the Point Amour lighthouse, in the village of L'Anse-Amour, Labrador, Canada, was not his natural home. Life was far from complete near the shore.

In the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the whale had been free, but the desire for the glittering and tasteful little fish had led him astray. The whale's predicament reminded me of times in my life when I'd followed something that seemed extremely important at the time, and later, I found that I was trapped.

How many times do Christians follow personal desires that lead them into shallow places, and then feel that God has been left behind? It is not intentional. Like the whale, we are caught up in the moment. Sometimes, by the time awareness dawns, we may be floundering in the shallows in bewilderment before we come to our senses and ask God for help. Unlike the whale, we Christians know how to call for help when we find the footing too shallow. Our Saviour is just a prayer away.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we follow the shining and tasty things of this world and lose sight of You. When we earnestly seek You, rescue is sure to come, as You have promised us it would. Thank You for hearing our cries. Amen.

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