Chances are you recognize the name Shamu. He’s the 12,000 lb, 18-foot-long killer whale that has been trained to jump, roll, and somersault at the Sea World parks. You can debate if you wish the ethical issue of keeping a creature of the wild in confinement but the reality is that 20,000,000 people every year come to watch him perform. And it’s unforgettable.
Especially if you’re sitting in the splash zone.
That meets everybody’s definition of unforgettable. If your seat is in the first three rows of the stadium Shamu will give you new understanding of the term immersion. If someone were to ask if you had seen Shamu at Sea World, your answer will not contain the words, “I don’t remember.” You will.
I wrote here recently about being part of a daily prayer call that happens every morning at 11:00 Eastern. It includes serious intercessors from across our nation, including Alaska and Hawaii. Members of the group were exuding how God had responded so specifically and dramatically to the urgent requests they had brought before Him. But they were equally as thrilled at the other victories they were seeing with issues they hadn’t even prayed about.
One pastor mentioned two miracles of healing in his church. One member described how their two adult children who had been making some bad choices had become more responsive to the parents’ love. One pray-er said she had found victory in her own life with issues that had plagued her for as long as she could remember. Another person on the line said they had recently had more first-time guests at their church than anyone could remember.
As they reflected on what they were hearing, someone said, “I think we’re living in the splash zone.” Instantly everyone on the call knew what he meant. When the spirit of the intercessors embraces the heart of God and His Spirit is poured out, that presence extends to a larger circle than just a few.
I want that. I want that to be my story. I want that to be your story, too. I want that to be the story of my church, of your church. This God who wants to give gifts to His children longs with eagerness for us to live in the splash zone so He can give us what we need, even if it’s more than we ask.
By Don Jacobsen