Sunday, November 04, 2007

The First Osprey

Sunday we went to Meeting as usual. 30 minutes of silence; then Ellie began what proved to be a lengthy message about our visit to the beach, majoring on our experience with the ospreys.

As I listened, I began to wonder if a spiritual message might be forthcoming, and indeed Ellie spoke of the joy of such experiences, always coming from God. Then silence.

Ellie was so right. She inspired me to follow her lead as usual, and after a decent interval to make my contribution:

We are the fish of the sea; God is an Osprey. From the sky he watches us, waiting patiently for the propitious moment. Then like a rock he falls upon, takes us in his loving arms.

We wonder what may happen next. In the course of time we come to see that God means us to help in the ongoing work of Creation. Finally we realize that we are Co-creators with God. Is there any higher calling?

2 comments:

Jon said...

I never knew that ospreys took fish into their loving arms!

:-)

Just kidding, of course! But my analogy would be that God is the sea and the air (the everpresent support and being) as well as the osprey, the active agent).

Larry Clayton said...

1.Jon, I only know one osprey who did. Actually with the osprey we observed I never could decide whether he took the fish in his beat or his claws.

2. Your analogy is certainly more universal and better theology. But in the words of Blake we can speak only in the minute particulars.