The Mystery of Alligators

Since I was a small boy I have been fascinated with alligators. How could a creature so large and strong both run and swim with such agility to capture prey? Several weeks ago my wife, children and I went to the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia to see alligators in their natural habitat. We got on a boat to travel several miles into the Swamp, and as my daughter Faith was driving the boat we suddenly saw a gator rising out of the black water in front of us. Upon seeing this ferocious beast swimming beside our boat, I was reminded of the many great unknown aspects of life. I was reminded of God using crocodiles as an example of the limits of human understanding in his response to Job’s questioning (see Job 41-42). Many of the most important aspects of life require us to take a courageous step into the mystery of the unknown: marriage, child-rearing, job choice, committing our lives to Christ, etc. As Paul writes of both marriage and our relationship with Christ, “As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” (Ephesians 5:31-33). In order to live with mystery, we need faith in order to live. There is an importance of faith in many aspects of our lives; but the most important is our relationship with God. Ask God to give you the courage to step boldly into the unknown of life, because “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Selah