A Lesson Learned: by Robin Thomas
I remember it as if it was yesterday.
Rambling down the single lane country road in my bright red Chevy truck, one night after work, I saw something in the road. No street lights, only the ambient moonlight and my headlights created an ethereal glow on the deserted lane. I pulled my truck closer and discovered that it was a tiny big eyed owl. I wasn’t sure it if was hurt, or stunned but it just sat in the middle of the road. I got out and cautiously approached it but it stayed still. Moving really slowly I bent down and picked it up in my hands as if giving an offering to God. It sat in my hands for a moment and then just flew away as if nothing was amiss. It was hands down the most mystical sight I have ever witnessed. The purity and light that I felt in just that moment forged that memory in my mind. It always made me think of the Holy Spirit and how He touches our lives.
I think God puts little nuggets of joy and wonder in our lives to remind us that He is with us.
My interaction with the owl made no sense but it was such a holy moment for me. As if I was having an out of body experience, magical, transcending, other-worldly. A moment in time when heaven leaked through.
I have felt this same feeling at times when I know the Holy Spirit is using my words to speak to somebody. I know this because I remember thinking, “Wow, that sounds really good,” and “Where did that come from?” But it’s my voice that I hear.
“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” –Neil Armstrong
Could I have explained everything away with a scientific explanation? Sure, but why would I want to? It is way cooler to be touched by the Holy Spirit. God created the world so it stands to reason that he could give us little pinpoints of wonder to turn our faces toward Him.
My mother gave me a book to read, Angels in My Hair (2008), by Lorna Byrne. It was a fascinating account of an Irish woman who has seen angels her whole life. She describes them in great detail and in many different circumstances. Many of her accounts touched me to the core. Regardless of your belief or unbelief she paints a glorious picture of God’s messengers. Another pinpoint of wonder? I think so.
Something else I have been fascinated by is a condition called SYNESTHESIA. Approximately 2-4% of the population are people who see colors (auras) and shapes when they look at people or things. According to Healthline.com, “If you have synesthesia, you might notice that your senses tend to intertwine, giving your perceptions of the world an additional dimension. Perhaps every time you bite into a food, you also feel its geometric shape: round, sharp, or square. Maybe when you’re feeling emotional over a person you love, you can close your eyes and see certain colors playing at your field of vision… Each one of your five senses stimulate a different area of your brain. Looking at a bright neon yellow wall, for example, will light up the primary visual cortex, at the rear of your brain. If you have synesthesia, you may also feel like you can taste the color of the wall while you look at it.”
What a cool condition to have. Another pinpoint of wonder? That’s like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory coming to life! My point being that being a skeptic doesn’t mean things don’t exist.
Jesus died on the cross, descended into hell and three days later came back to life, now that is pretty darn cool! And personally, I choose to believe it.
The Bible says in Hebrews 13:2, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Pinpoints of wonder, embrace them. I would take them every day of the week, but like the owl in the road, I cherish the experiences I am given.
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