Sometimes I see a live starfish on the beach that has lost one of its arms, perhaps in a skirmish, perhaps because of a fishing hook. A biological station nearby on the mainland is attempting to discover how starfish are able to reproduce missing appendages; what triggers in them the ability to generate nerve tissue so the new limb has full feeling? Obviously the research is vital for humans as well, since we lack the capacity to regrow arms and legs that have been amputated. When I see a starfish with a budding limb, newly forming, I appreciate the small miracle before me. But there are greater miracles than these, my faith tells me. Because of my deliberate refusal to obey God, to accept his role in my life, to live as He demands, I inhabit a body corrupted by sin. And yet, through God’s grace, I am continually reformed, reshaped, and reanimated, able to grow from a sinful past into a perfected state. I thank you, Lord, that you allow me to regrow my spirit and my faith, deepening, extending, and regenerating in me your presence and your grace. Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father, last fall there was a relatively common occurrence on the island; something was left, forgotten on the stove, and a serious fire resulted. While no
The waves were rough last night, and this morning the water was muddy and murky. Usually I can see small fish gather, recognize crabs and skates at the waves’ edge,
How wonderful the sand feels on my toes! I can choose the texture—slippery, squeaky sand near the boardwalk, firm sand farther from the water’s edge, rippled and damp sand where
