The phrase “Watch the Water” has taken on new significance for me this past four days in Florida. Growing up in MN where we had lakes made me appreciate water, but being in Florida as an adult has taught me to “Watch the Water”. Little did I know the water had so many things to say.

This morning, I awoke very early, the sun had not yet begun to rise, but once it did the sights that it revealed spoke things to me I had not thought of before. There is no wind this morning, not one wave even landing on the seashore, the calm is palatable on the gulf this morning. The sun rising behind me has cast a beautiful color scheme in front of me. The water is what has my attention this morning.

I look out and it is so calm I can see a pod of dolphins pursuing their morning feast, dipping above the water line so I can see their fin sticking out. Then the pelicans are nose diving in head first for their breakfast. As I watch these beautiful animals in their natural habitat the Holy Spirt begins to speak to me.

Seeing dolphins live by design in this large body of water makes me realize our stress as people, comes from being in unfamiliar places, we were never designed for. Some may call it greedy, but we were made for more. We are designed for freedom; we were created for abundance; we have bodies that long to rest not rush; and all the arificial supply is not satisfying us because we are not living by design.

Like dolphins doing tricks in a pool at the zoo, we are doing what we have been trained to do not what we are designed to do. We wonder why we can’t enjoy life; why we don’t know how to love God and love people; it is because we are performing in a pool at the zoo rather than operating by design in wide open spaces that are holy places. Watch the water, it has many lessons for us to learn. I may be coming home, but not to a pool, for my heart is staying in abundance of truth the gulf has taught me.