Tank of Life
By Erik Farstad
February 9, 1998
"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Genesis 1:2
If you’ve ever owned an aquarium, you know the dedication it takes to keep it up. You have to keep the water a certain consistency, the soil clean and have a ready amount of food available. You were the one who called the shots, kept the fish alive, you were the boss. It was up to you, you were the caretaker of the fish, the giver of life.
In Genesis 1, we learn how God created the world. He started with nothing, and to see how His creation turned out just look around you. Now think of the world as God’s fish tank, and we are His creatures. The following is an analogy of your life. Put yourself in the following space and try to imagine the following experiences:
In the beginning the tank was empty. Soon it was filled it up with land, water and air. A heating element was installed, the sun, to give warmth and energy needed for growth. After all the preparations were just right, you were made. You were placed in the tank of life, allowing you to swim around freely for the tank was vast. You were told to swim around freely, except in a certain area of the tank. Yet you ignored this warning, and suddenly found yourself confined. Your vast world was suddenly limited by space and time.
Looking up, you see only pinholes of light coming through the covering of the tank. You move forward to find yourself confined, as if you’ve hit an invisible wall of glass. Your world is beautiful, yet confining. You yearn to see the beauty beyond the glass. You struggle to see a clear picture of the shadowy caretaker, hovering above, that provides food and maintains your environment. You sense that you belong in a place, not confined by time and space like this one, beyond the shadowy walls that do not restrict your life and spirit. You long to see your caretaker, to swim in His world.
You look around and notice other creatures just like you. They too are swimming around, trying to figure out their life and boundaries. Some approach the glass walls, noticing something beyond, but quickly turn away preoccupied by their current surroundings. In some areas of the glass, there are smudges that cause visibility even more difficult. But soon those smudges are cleaned away by the caretaker, as if He longs for His creations to see Him. You desire to reach out to those around you, to tell them there IS MORE beyond the shadowy glass. Some listen, but others have difficulty seeing the great ocean beyond. You realize that many have trouble seeing past this artificial world. Perhaps you remember a time when you did too?
As you swim around, you watch as your fellow creature’s die. At times the cover of your world is lifted, and you watch as many are swept up into the great net. While others rot, seemingly chewed up by the world around them. You long for the caretaker to sweep you into His net. For you know that when the net comes for you, it is your ticket beyond the shadowy glass and home to your caretaker.
My friend, it is up to you to help your fellow creatures realize that there is more beyond the shadowy glass, and that they too can swim in the great ocean beyond!
In Him, "E"