So, that is not me, but I did catch two fish like that one (and one small shark), fishing the other day off of Amelia Island in Florida. That large fish, a tarpon, does fight a lot and the second one (maybe a shade over 100 pounds) made me walk around the boat 12 times before he was tired enough for me to pull him in and pull out the hook.
I wonder why we like fishing and hunting so much? My guide is this strange mixture of environmentally conscious and not-so-much... It is probably an occupation thing, but Captain Jim will not kill a fish; but, he is an active deer hunter (although he only goes after very large bucks). Anyway, I was enjoying the fishing a lot, but I noticed that Captain Jim would always set the Tarpon right in the water to facilitate them swimming back down into the ocean (we didn't pull them on to the boat). This seemed very exciting, and with my second (and last) Tarpon, I asked him if I could cut the hook off and set the fish right so he wouldn't have trouble swimming back down. Captain Jim said, "You can do whatever you want!"
And that was the highlight of my afternoon. That, and not losing another finger to another rope! Seriously though, my favorite part was not the 45 minutes it took me to win the battle with my tarpon, but it was setting his top fin upright again and pushing him under the water to watch him swim away.
Psalm 8 is more cosmological than anything, but it refers to subduing the Earth. I wonder if we stop thinking too early, if we forget to be New Covenant Thinkers with a Scripture like that. Relative to Jesus shouldn't we subdue the Earth in order to set it free? Isn't the point of Jesus to redeem the whole world? Heaven is all well and good, but as I look at Scripture - and the deep places of my heart - I have a great desire for the New Heavens and the New Earth.
This is not personified in me pushing the Tarpon back under the water, but I do think it alludes to my heart desiring not to dominate this creature... I think that is mistaken, what I really want is to see the beginnings of redemption everywhere... Again, the analogy falls short quickly! but, as I was leaning over the boat, laying on the floor, pushing this massive fish under water... I juts wonder if we don't wrap up our theology too quickly in Heaven, saving folks, tithing, etc. A Cosmic redemption sounds much more exciting to me; much more like Good News.
But, enough about me... What do you think?
6 comments:
I love Amelia Island, just a couple miles north of me! A beautiful place to vacation, and reflect, of course.
I think that is really cool.
Good post, blaze, good post!!! I love that you now e-mail me to tell me when you have updated your blog.
The only i've caught is that five-inch bluegill at the webel's house, but I set him free, too. I think it is excellent that you set the tarpon free. It reminds me of Creation Regained by Wohlers. Have you read that?? I know it's required reading at Covenant, but I don't which class it's for. I read it in high school, and it talks about how ALL of creation was sacrificed at the fall and now ALL of it is in desperate need of redemption and saving grace.
You should read it if you have not.
Even though you don't subscribe to the 'recommending books' camp =)
i've only been Elisa again for like 2 days and you've already forgotten Ashley's fine form.
Some might argue that as your number one reader, I should still have my own link on your page as Auntie Quills or Ashley Judd, and it should merely take one to myspace instead of blogspot. But I don't know who these people are.
I tend to forget that there is Heaven and the "big picture" redemption stuff. I want the everyday redemption. Children reunited with their families in a war torn country, homes being built for the poor, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, etc. I get mad that God isn't redeeming countries like Sudan faster. I want to know why He doesn't protect good fathers from dying in freak accidents. Why he lets children live in abusive homes and doesn't come in swinging his mighty sword to take down the evil? But that's because I have a small picture, an earthly perspective. I just get a glimpse of redemption when I see the dignity return to one of those dad's on Extreme Home Makeover. Thanks for reminding me that the everyday beauty in the mess is a blessing, that is pointing to something even better.
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