Deep Blue Praise

I am currently reading through Eugene Peterson’s book, Christ Plays in 10,000 Places, a spiritually rich book about what it looks like to walk the Christian life. One section is how Christ plays in creation and the wonder we experience by merely existing in this world. He writes:

Wonder. Astonishment. Adoration. There can’t be very many of us for whom the sheer fact of existence hasn’t rocked us back on our heels. We take off our sandals before the burning bush. We catch our breath at the sight of the plummeting hawk. “thank you, God'.” We find ourselves in a lavish existence in which we feel a deep sense of kinship—we belong here; we say thanks with our lives to life.” (p. 52)

I began to reflect back on the moments that creation has taken my breath away, and how these are some of the most fulfilling and awe-inspiring moments of our lives. One that I will always hold on to is scuba diving on the coast of Hawaii. The warm water is so clear and filled with life. We had spent around forty minutes traversing the reef, enjoying the life of the ocean. Sadly, my tank was almost out of air, so I had to do my safety stop and head back to the boat. But before that happened I had a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I looked beyond the reef and there was nothing but the wide open blue ocean. An expanse so beautiful that I wanted to cry out in praise. Due to the fact I would’ve inhaled water had I done so, I simply put my hands up in worship in the middle of the ocean. There is something so humbling about the weight of the ocean weighing down upon you and seeing it’s beauty that for me a blue sky will never be able to reproduce. You feel so small and my only response, was like Peterson says, gratitude. I was so thankful to have 60 seconds of pure bliss. It was a moment so serene that it is a vision I often revisit in the everyday moments of life. Between classes as I prepare to teach students, in the heavy moments of life when my wife ushers me to remember, and today.

My hope and my prayer is that when you read this today that you will remember your moment. Maybe it’s not under the ocean, but maybe it is in the mountains, underneath a pale blue sky, or somewhere else. Take a moment today to remember and be thankful that we exist in a beautiful creation.