Sunflecks!

I learned a new word yesterday – and it’s the title of tonight’s post, Sunflecks… Clearly, this has something to do with the center of our solar system but I really didn’t have any idea what it meant. So… I had to look it up and this is what I found…

A sunfleck is “a momentary burst of sunshine striking the floor of a dense forest, either caused by the movement of the sun or by the movement of the branches in the canopy. In fact, sunflecks are vital to the survival of plants on the bed of the forest.”

As I recall moments of my life in the forest, I can recall times that I have seen sunflecks. They are those beautiful streams of light coming through the tops of the trees and striking the forest floor. You don’t see them every time you go on a hike but they are the special moments that can take your breath away with their beauty.

In fact, when I was 17 years old, I travelled to Germany and spent the summer working in a factory that made precision drafting instruments in the Bavarian Alps – I lived in a town named Pfronten. It was a great opportunity for a young guy to see Europe and one of the side trips that I made was to the town of Oberammergau to see the famous Passion Play. That event is put on every 10 years to celebrate the deliverance of the people of Oberammergau from an illness that had decimated the town hundreds of years earlier. It depicts the life of Jesus and is quite an experience to witness live.

The play lasted eight hours and was in German so I had to follow the action with a translation that I received at the entrance. And while this story will make a great post sometime in the future, the point of this mention is that on the way back to Pfronten, I saw the most beautiful sunfleck that I have ever seen – to this day….

It was sun streaking through the clouds, the trees and hitting the earth in such a way as to leave absolutely no doubt that anything so beautiful had to be created by God. Even now, fifty years later, I vividly remember the sky and the way that the rays of light hit the ground. I can’t even tell you how many times in my life I have recalled that special moment on the bus back to Pfronten – especially after having just seen the Passion Play.

But each time I see a beautiful sunfleck, I think of God and His creation. Now that I know the real definition, it is even more meaningful to me. Notice that either the sun moves or the canopy moves to create this special effect. That’s the same way it is with us and our relationship with God. Either God can get our attention or we can move and seek Him. Either way, this unique interaction can happen between us and the Father.

And notice that sunflecks are vital to the plants on the forest floor. That’s the same with us. Our special moments with God are vital for us to thrive and grow in our faith. And I am sure that each believer has experienced those special indescribable interactions with God – either having God pursue us or when we make a move toward Him.

Our verse for tonight is from the Psalms. Whether it is for lament, or worship and praise, the Psalms are the first place many believers go to connect with the Father. Tonight, the psalmist tells us, in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path…” Isn’t that so appropriate! A light for our path!

My encouragement this evening is that God delights in us when we look for Him and He can shine His light on us, just like the plants in the forest. Of course, God also pursues us and these moments are just as special when they occur. My prayer is that we will be aware of times when we experience those special connections with God – and remember them for years to come. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…