Plankton (Ephesians 6:12)

I love aquariums. Our family recently vacationed in Monterey, California and we spent a day at the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. Of the many fascinating exhibits, one that particularly appealed to me was a microscope that magnified developing jellyfish, projecting the image on a monitor. The jellyfish eggs and embryo were interesting, but what really captured my attention were the numerous plankton swirling around the jellyfish. As tiny as the jellyfish were, the plankton were even smaller. And all of this was occurring in a few drops of seawater! I was impressed with the complexity of life that was invisible to my naked eye.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)

This vast living aquatic world, existing within a few drops of seawater and imperceptible to my naked eye, is a reminder of the spiritual world within which I dwell. God’s creation consists of the visible and invisible, the material and spiritual. Conflict is present in both realms of existence. The weapons of warfare are different in each but the source of our armament is the same-God. He equips us with all the resources we need to withstand Satan. We have the Bible. We have prayer. And we have the Holy Spirit, who indwells within every believer of Jesus Christ.

Like the microscopic world of the plankton, the world we live in is far more complex than we can ever imagine or see. I must never underestimate its immenseness. I need God’s oversight and direction in my life to successfully live and navigate in the visible and invisible worlds of His creation.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.