An Octopus and Ringo Starr

On the first day of our honeymoon adventure we traveled on over to Monterey and visited the aquarium. We were too tired from the trip to be prepared for all of the screaming kids and crazy families. The aquarium is extremely popular and well known but we didn't really enjoy it as much as we were expecting to. It was much more interactive and "preachy" than we thought it should be. The literature was all about how much we're destroying the planet and how to help our kids to be more eco-friendly. Which we don't disagree with, but we really just wanted to hang out and watch marine life ... live. 

Next to the octopus exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

We did get to experience that with the octopus we visited! We probably stood in front of his exhibit for a good twenty minutes. Just observing all his beautiful details while families were zooming by. Everyone would take a quick peek, be bored at how slow he moved, and run off to the next thing. We stood in one spot and just watched him. He floated on over to where we were standing and looked right at us. Benjamin said he particularly liked me! He seemed to have looked me straight in the eye for a full ten or fifteen seconds. It was completely amazing. Just gives you chills! All of the intricate details and patterns of him, everything; it was a wonderful experience.

Of course it reminds me of God's beauty, design, care, and love that He puts into His creation but the atmosphere was intriguing. Benjamin and I could not have enjoyed that octopus if we had glanced at him and then gone on to the next thing. Such is similar with our spiritual life. We are, and I am, so guilty of glancing at God and then moving on with the rest of our lives. What if we slowed down and looked at all of the little suction cups and skin textures and movements? What if we slowed down and tried to see God's heart and His desires for us? I think, as I was with this octopus, we would be utterly blown away by His beauty. And when we're utterly blown away by God's beauty and mercy, we can't help but speak His truths.