Look Beneath the Surface
My fourth grade teacher pulls a plastic relief map from the classroom’s closet. We are, she announces, about to have an opportunity to touch the map. To feel the topography pictured in our social studies books.
Perhaps we’re interested in terrains and elevations.
But we’re likely just excited to get out of our seats.
Most of the map is pretty flat.
Boring.
But running our hands across the tops of the bumpy mountain ranges and sticking our fingers in the valleys?
Definitely not boring.
I suspect a relief map may have delighted Isaiah. Really driven home God’s promise to reveal Himself in all of life’s terrains.
I will make rivers flow on mountain peaks.
I will send streams to fill the valleys.
I will open up rivers on high plateaus!
(Isaiah 41:18 CEV, TLB)
While mountain peaks and valleys represent the most dramatic legs of our journeys, most of life is lived on flatter land.
Like plateaus.
Yet God includes them in His promises.
The thing about plateaus, the internet explains, is they are characterized by a perceived lack of resources.
Yet treasures are hidden beneath the surface.
Unseen.
Copper, diamonds, gold, coal, iron, uranium . . .
I promise I’m going somewhere with this.
Quick shift to the New Testament.
Where Jesus turns, in a private moment, to His twelve disciples and whispers,
“Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see!”
( Luke 10:23 TLB)
Driving home the importance of what they see.
Of what we see.
Of the necessity of paying attention.
So we don’t miss God’s revelations of Himself.
Even in regular life on regular days.
Like when three regular bananas are over ripening.
Which is exactly what is happening on my kitchen counter.
They’re overly flecked with brown.
A half step away from being tossed into the woods for the deer.
I hate to waste food.
I also hate to bake.
But I have a banana bread recipe that calls for three overripe bananas.
Humph.
Now I have a whole banana bread.
Twelve fattening slices.
I’ll take a few to a friend I’ve been meaning to visit.
If she’s not home, I’ll leave the slices on her doorstep.
They’re not coming home with me.
Luckily she’s home.
To my cheerful, “How are you?” she bursts out, “I’m terrible!”
She’s been bearing the weight of the world, her world, on her shoulders.
Feeling isolated, unseen, unheard.
Until I show up.
With banana bread and a totally free afternoon.
To listen and pray.
And take a walk.
I could report my visit was the result of obedience to the Lord’s direction, but that would be a lie.
I was really just trying to not eat a whole banana bread myself.
Looking beneath the surface, though, I see all kinds of hidden beauty.
I imagine God watching over a certain banana tree.
Guarding three particular bananas dangling from its branches.
Following their journey from the banana plantation to my counter.
Grinning about His plans for those three.
Plans to use them to reveal His love to my friend.
On a regular day.
Plateaus.
The majority of life is lived there.
But look beneath the surface . . .
“Blessed will be the eyes that see the things you see!”
See you in a couple weeks.
Love,
The adventure each day is watching how God blessed the small things♥️💋💋
Blessing the small things . . . which sometimes are big things we just don’t see or comprehend at the time . . . or ever. I’m glad God is in charge of the world and not me!
Cindy, you know that you can freeze those over ripe bananas BUT…. I’m wondering how many missed GOD OPPORTUNITIES I have tucked away in my freezer🧐😢❤️…and then I’m thinking of the frozen banana breads I have there too!! Please pray for some defrosting in my life!
Defrosting in your life? That is NOT what I think of when I think about you. You are always warm to all!
Cindy,
How God has blessed you with creative talents to write and illustrate a devotion from 3 ripe bananas really makes me smile and giggle.! You are a delight. I was thinking of the blackened bananas in my freezer that I threw in the garbage and felt guilty for not using them when I was trying to fix the ice-maker; but back to the big picture of inspiring me to reach out when called and follow up when the spirit leads.
Thank You,
Debbie Hoffer
You know, sometimes we don’t even realize we were called until the whole thing is said and done. I love our God of mysteries!
Like Sara Jackson, I tend to put bananas in the freezer or make banana bread to freeze. Thanks to your article, Cindy, I am sure there will be some thawing and delivering going on in the next week!
love in Christ,
Sherrill
I can’t believe how many people have banana bread in the freezer. So many bakers!
I’ll think of you and your story when I have over ripe bananas. So many of our friends need a visit and a slice or two of banana bread.
I really didn’t mean to set off a banana bread crusade! Anyone you visit will be blessed, with or without banana bread.
Cindy, I so enjoy your writings . . .
Thank you so much, Susan. I sent you an email. I hope you received it.
Cindy, I finally found this post this afternoon and the timing is profound. Thank you! I look forward to tomorrow’s post. It was wonderful to see you on Tuesday afternoon.
Yay! Now you’re a tech guru! It was good to see you too. Always a treat!
I love your heart and your words. I know that they are GOD inspired, because each word, sentence, and phrase can be felt, tasted and seen. Thank you for sharing!!
I used my overripe bananas to make banana and raisin bran muffins and will share instead of freeze!!
xoxoxo Harriette
And the banana bread crusade continues! So good to hear from you!