Alligator Eyes
I was standing on the Shingle Creek golf course in Orlando, Florida yesterday when I saw something somewhat unnerving. The course is very expansive and very green with few large trees. The result is a links-style golf course where the heavy winds can affect your play. There is also a large quantity of water along the course. On the third hole, as I stood in the tee box, there was a long, narrow pond that hugged the right side of the fairway. About fifty yards away sat an alligator, resting on the bank of the pond.
There is nothing inherently dangerous about an alligator that sits fifty yards away. It is the act of hitting a ball in the general direction of the alligator that can bring some tension. Throughout the day I saw a couple more alligators at different locations throughout the course. The result was that anytime anyone had to go near the water, we approached with considerable more caution. It became clear that the unseen alligator was feared more than the visible ones.
Those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ have been given a fascinating and immeasurable gift: the Holy Spirit. It would seem that the fact that we have the triune God represented in our lives on a constant basis would result in a similar heightened level of consciousness. The Spirit bears witness about Jesus:
John 15:26 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”
I am not saying that the Holy Spirit is around simply to create a sense of fear when we venture too close to areas we should not be venturing. But we can say that the Spirit is constantly bearing witness about Christ; a gentle and constant reminder that God is with us.
Thank you, God, for the gift of your constant presence. May we respect it.
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