Worm Sign!

Genesis 18:13-14 -- "The the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "will I really have a child, now that I am old?" Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a Son.' "

image: clipartpal.com

The look on actor Patrick Stewart's face was never more intense than it was when he looked out of the chopper window down on Arakis to witness plumes of dust leap out into a desert sky. In the movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune - the plume and bulging sands beneath were a sign that they'd found a giant subterranean worm. Exciting and devastating for the characters in the movie because the worm produced the thing they were obsessively mining - but it also caused the death of many mine workers by leaving the mine in complete ruins after savagely attacking it.

"Worm sign" Patrick says - as he sees the golden sands billow out into the air.

There are often times in my life when I pray that the Lord show me very clearly the path upon which He wishes me to tread. But the signs I seek aren't always as clear as the ones given by worms on Arakis. In fact, sometimes I wonder if I've missed them all together - simply because I wasn't paying attention.

When three men visited Abraham at his tent in the book of Genesis, he met and greeted them according to polite social tradition - but I don't think it was obvious to him right away that he was greeting messengers from God. It took him a few moments to recognize them for what they were and for Whom they spoke. Sarah, on the other hand - never caught on. In fact, not only did she NOT believe what the men said to Abraham, but she lied strait to their faces when she denied laughing at their message. 

If she'd really grasped the significance and importance of her visitors - would she have behaved the way she did?

I'm thinking - probably not.

Do we pay attention today? In our most desperate prayers when we ask God to give us a sign - do we REALLY believe that we'll get one? Or do we miss seeing the forest for the trees?

The truth is - God shows us things He wants us to see every single day. Just look around! Things are moving quickly on this old blue marble - are we missing the significance of some of them as the days whiz by us? Do we take some signs for granted? Or do we outright find some of them laughable, like Sarah?

We might not outright see Worm Sign - but rest assured, God's voice IS all around us, and very much like he told Abraham - His son WILL be coming back at the appointed time. 

Are we ready?