April 27, 2022 – Click here to listen
So, this morning I’m going fishing in the deep blue Pacific Ocean. We are going after sailfish, yellowfin tuna, and mahi-mahi. I look forward to it and am grateful to God for allowing me the pleasure.
I have been besieged with requests for prayer from so many of my friends. At times though I feel guilty of the blessed life I’m living while so many suffer. My wife and I take turns praying prior to every meal. While on this visit we have eaten out more than in, and when we pray it takes a long time just to pray for all those who are suffering, and especially our individual friends. We pray for the people of Ukraine, our nation, the lost, the police, military, and of course offer our thanks for our health and blessings and many other things.
When finished praying I open my eyes and sometimes it seems like half the restaurant is staring at me with inquisitive looks even though we speak softly as we pray. Most turn away when they see me look at them, but for those who cannot seem to get their fill of staring at us, I smile and sometimes nod.
Yesterday we ate a pizza, and the waitress was one of those giving us the stare. When we called for the bill, she brought us two shot glasses filled with a liquid the color of lemonade. We told her we did not drink alcohol and she smiled and said it was merely lemon.
I really didn’t want it, or order it, but didn’t want to be rude and tried a small sip of it, and it was a very strong liqueur. My wife had the same experience. I saw the waitress laughing as she watched us.
Well, it was no doubt a deliberate act, but there was no harm and no foul, and we got up and left having only taken a small sip, I whispered a prayer for her as we walked out. This place is located right across the street from the Margaritaville hotel. We ate there the previous night, and it was filled with tourists packing the place for happy hour. Some certainly looked smashed already but continued their search for the happy in happy hour.
I suppose that similar to our home in the keys, the vacation atmosphere, setting sun, white sand beach, swaying palm trees, blaring music, and scantily clad ladies is the perfect setting for happy hour.
They can have it.
As for me, I prefer watching a sailfish racing through the water at breakneck speed trying its best to grab a bait in the azure blue water. I love to see the clouds hanging on jungle-covered mountain peaks and the amazing, gorgeous, sunrises. I love to read my Bible and praise God with prayers throughout the day.
Sound dorky?
Laugh if you must but I’ve tried both worlds and I much prefer the one I’m living now. I had my fill of happy hours in my misspent youth, and it yielded nothing but unhappiness and hangovers. Satan’s allure of good times and getting drunk while listening to Jimmy Buffet songs is just another evil deception that leads to nothing good, especially those nasty hangovers not to mention car crashes, and other misery.
Take some time today to look around. God is showing us His creation at every turn. I wonder how it makes Him feel to see us ignoring the good things He has prepared for us only to see us running as fast as we can after the evil things that Satan has to offer. We cannot ignore God forever. His eyes see every hidden thing. I’d rather that He see me shouting for joy catching a jumping sailfish than numbing my mind with poison.
Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.