Baby Beluga

Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea, Swim so wild and you swim so free.

Heaven above and the sea below, And a little white whale on the go.

from the song “Baby Beluga” by Raffi and Debi Pike

This song is in a book called “Baby Beluga” that is read to my 22-month-old grandson every night before he goes to bed (along with other good night books). I had to learn to sing the song to be part of the “good night bedtime tradition.” By consistently reading to him at bedtime, we have created a routine that is familiar to him. He can repeat the song and he often sings it to himself before going to sleep.

A few weeks ago, they traveled to BC for a family wedding. While in Vancouver, they visited the Vancouver Aquarium. It was an event to remember – my grandson saw his first – live & up close – for real – Baby Beluga. My son captured the moment in this awesome photo. You can feel the “WOW” as he watches the whale swim by the glass. There really are Baby Belugas!! They are not just make believe and they are more awesome than he ever imagined them to be. The little bedtime story book couldn’t fully prepare him for encountering a real, life-sized whale.

When I saw this photo, I thought of the scripture: Psalm 107: 24: “See the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.” I saw the wonder of a little child as he realized that the character in his storybook was real – not just someone's imagination. It brings a whole new perspective. This event will forever change how he sees his book. He now has a reference point that brings new meaning to the story. Now when he sings the song, he will “see” Baby Beluga as he never could before this encounter.

Isn’t this also true for our experiences with God? We can read stories about God – whether in the Bible or someone’s testimony – but when we have an actual personal encounter with God, we are left in awe – forever changed!!

Remember the first time you realized that God was real? It changes how you see everything. When we really realize that God is always with us - wherever we go – that changes our perspective and brings a new awareness that can’t be understood until it is experienced. That is when we have our own “WOW” moment - just as my grandson did with Baby Beluga.

I remember the first Christmas when all of the Christmas Carols “came alive” for me. They were no longer just familiar, memorized lyrics – they were ALIVE with the Truth – the Gospel message proclaiming Jesus’ birth. I had a “WOW” moment as I realized what I had been singing without actually “hearing” the message. The hidden treasure in every song had been unlocked. The same is true with the Bible. It will no longer be a book of “Bible stories” – it becomes the Living Word of God to us.

Have you experienced the “wonder” of realizing that what God says is true – really is Truth? It WILL change your life and then change how you face each future situation. It brings things into perspective. It allows us to see them the way that God sees them.

How big is a whale? You don’t REALLY know until you see one close up. How big is God? Allow Him to reveal Himself to you and get ready to be “WOWED”!!

Selah Y