Raising the Dead?

My family has been thoroughly blessed by the writings of John and Stasi Edlredge the last few years. While I suspect their theological leanings may be more liberal than what we're used to, I have to say "Amen" to their explaination of God's desire to heal broken hearts and establish relationship with us mere mortals. I've always been grateful for our daughters' relationship with their Dad and reading Captivating over Thanksgiving gave him fresh insight into why it is so vital for girls to connect with their fathers. I have only read Waking the Dead so far and look forward to this next one - when I'm finished with some of these other book's I'm working on!

Last week Becky and I visited Mr. Joe. He and Mrs. Evelyn are very precious friends we met through beekeeping. He's a brilliant and quiet man who started beekeeping about the same time I did and I consider him my superior in every way.

It was a very cold and wet day we were there. While walking out to his honey house he spotted a bee in the edge of his birdbath in the water. I didn't think anything of it when he picked it out and noticed a few minutes later he had his hands cupped together. "Have you ever revived a bee?" he asked? It turns out that bee wasn't just litter in his birdbath that he was removing. He had warmed it up and brought it back to life. He proceeded to tell me exactly what the bee would do next. Sure enough, she started cleaning her eyes and face. A minute later she was getting the water off her legs and body. All the while walking around on his bare hand unconcerned about anything more immediate than her grooming.

"She's old, look how tattered her wings are" he said. I'd never inspected a bees wings close enough to tell something that intimate. The sense he had about her behavior, condition and needs were amazing. The tender care he showed for such a little of God's creatures was touching. I asked if he were concerned about her stinging him. No. As long as he didn't try to move her she wouldn't bother him and would leave on her own once she was fully recovered.

Isn't that just like God? In the grandour of heaven and the infinite majesty of His creation He finds us raggedy mortals drowning in sin at the edge of some dirty stink hole. We're dead in trespasses and sins. He takes us individually into His care and attempts to bring life to us by the warmth of His own love. We're known so intimatly by our Creator he sees every flaw and still chooses to take us into his hand where we can be cared for and given life. He's excited when we respond to Him and His desire for us is that our spirits would prosper. He wants us to have wings and promises that we will mount up as eagles when we wait on Him.

There's no question that little bee will never understand how blessed she was that day. For the most part us mere mortals are equally oblivious to the care that God has for us; the air we breathe every day, the little miracles that surround us. The difference is that we have DO have the capacity to understand, appreciate and ultimatly know our creator/caregiver in a personal and loving relationship. It's really a matter of choice, and He leaves that choice with us.