Winks from Heaven: The Osprey and the Creative Voice of God
What an absolute day of excitement. It started the moment I opened my eyes this morning. I woke up at exactly 6:36 a.m.—it is always my little wink that Cash is right here with me, and that God is with me. As I sat down to write, I glanced at the clock and it was 7:07. Another palladium number, starting and ending with the same digit. A rare sight for some to see it once, but for me, it happens all day and feels like an abundance of grace.
Then I walked out onto the porch.
Right there, I caught an osprey on video perched on the balcony below me. This isn't just any bird; the osprey is the mascot for Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy. I immediately knew I needed to send the video to my friends at SMLCA. I've seen this osprey several times now, and I truly believe it is a sign from the Lord and from Cash. It feels like a confirmation that SMLCA Athletics is about to embark on a great endeavor, the start of a powerful new season.
It made me think back to the design work. When my Agency designed the first Liberty University athletics logo and then Liberty paid another firm millions to upgrade years later, I honestly had to admit the logo they have now is better. But when SMLCA changed their logo I designed from the fish to the osprey, I questioned it. In my mind, I wanted a fish not only because it was biblical but there are multiple fish in Smith Mountain Lake, and I only knew of one osprey nest at SML and is there a mention of an osprey in the bible? I couldn't see the full picture. But standing on the porch today, I completely see the wisdom in the change. Seeing that osprey is a physical sign to me that the Lord is entirely in control of the details.
In the silence before I started my SOAP, I had a very honest conversation with the Lord. I realized that I constantly crave nudges from God. I want the signs. I want the confirmations that I am on the right path. I thought about the disciples—they walked directly with Jesus and still needed so many miracles before they fully believed. Even Peter, in the middle of a storm, looked at Jesus on the water and said, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you." Maybe Peter doubted, or maybe he just desperately wanted to be closer to the Lord.
It is not a sin to want those nudges, even though the bible states in Matthew 12:38-39 that a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign. This is the difference between demanding proof and Receiving Comfort. I didn't ask God to make me see Palladium numbers or have an Osprey land in front of me. Today's companion devotional had a screen that said it perfectly: "As you go about your day, give God permission to keep speaking to you in creative ways." That is exactly what the 6:36 wake-up, the 7:07 clock, and the osprey are. They are the creative voice of the Creator.
That realization set the tone for my reading. I have completely devoured the book of Job, reading through most of it in two days because I am so excited to see what happens next. It is wild to think that the House of the Dragon season finale is this Sunday, and while so many people are anxiously counting down the hours for a television show, I am genuinely looking forward to reading the rest of Job and going to church more than anything else. God sees our desires, and there is nothing better than when our ultimate desire is simply to be in His presence.
Today's SOAP
S - Scripture
Revelation 4:11 (NIV): "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Job 29:2-3 (NIV): "How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness!"
O - Observation
In the middle of his deepest agony, Job cries out for a sign of God's presence. He longs for the days when God's lamp visibly guided him through the dark. It is human nature to crave the undeniable proof that God is watching over us. The disciples needed it, Peter needed it, and Job desperately wanted it. Revelation 4:11 provides the anchor for this longing: God is the Creator of all things. Because everything exists by His will, He has the infinite ability to use His creation—time on a clock, a specific bird on a porch—to shine a lamp on our heads and remind us He is there.
A - Application
I don't need to feel guilty for wanting signs or nudges from the Lord. Desiring confirmation just means I want to ensure my steps are perfectly aligned with His will. When I question how things are unfolding—like wondering why SMLCA chose an osprey instead of a fish—I have to remember that His wisdom is sovereign. My job is to give God permission to speak creatively into my day, and then have the spiritual eyes open enough to catch the 6:36 winks, the palladium numbers, and the osprey on the railing. I will let these nudges fuel my excitement for His Word over the distractions of the world.
P - Prayer
Lord, You are entirely worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Thank You for being a God who speaks in creative, deeply personal ways. Thank You for the gentle winks this morning, for Cash's memory, and for the osprey that reminds me You are in complete control of the path ahead. Continue to guide the athletic programs and leadership at Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy. Protect my family and friends fiercely today. Give me the profound strength to honor You in my relationships, the extreme focus to execute my business with integrity, and a heart that anticipates Sunday worship more than any worldly entertainment. I surrender my grief, my past, and my future entirely into Your hands. In Jesus' name, Amen.
