I don't know HOW this picture was made, but to me, it is beyond beautiful; reaching to the heights of sublime wonder, it makes me consider what really being able to fly must be like. Imagine: being able to open wide your wings and use the very air to defy gravity!!! To see the world looking downward instead or horizontally, to feel and experience the power of that which we cannot see. Being able to effortlessly navigate with grace and dignity to the heights of our vision, or to almost matter-of-factly use that same hidden support to flutter to a place of perching on solid earth.
Amazing, almost beyond words. And yet, a simple bird can do this- every day of the week!!!
Three hundred years ago, the sight which we see in the picture above could not be seen, because photography had yet to be invented. A great many things which we take for granted, such as train or automobile travel, vaccines, TV, telephones, or even computers and the internet were mere dreams. Yet the principles underlying them have always been there, having been created since the foundation of the world. There remain untold wonders yet to be discovered; things beyond our wildest imagination. And these include mysteries that surround us daily- just look in the mirror, for you and I are fearfully and wonderfully made. Look a little deeper into the mirror and you will realize that we are but a reflection of the one who created us and God has more important things to show us than a mere bird in flight. Having said this, consider the Apostle Paul's list of mysteries...
Ephesians, Chapter 1 (WEB)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; 5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved, 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him; 11 in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will; 12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: 13 in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
This passage is so rich that a learned man might write a book on just these few verses. For my part, I just listed a few (21) things that seemed to just stand out to me.
Blessings in Heavenly places 3
Chosen in him 4
Our holiness 4
Our predetermination in Jesus 5
The glory of his grace 6
Freely bestowed favor on us 5
The forgiveness of our trespasses 7
The riches of his grace 7
Abound toward us 8
Making know to us the mystery of his will 9
Sum up all things in Christ 10
Things in the heavens..., things on the earth, in him 10
Foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things 11
To the end that we should be 12
Hoped in Christ 12
The word of the truth 13
The Good News of your (our) salvation 13
Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise 13
Our inheritance 14
God's own possession 13
The praise of his glory 14
Each and every one of these is a heavenly mystery with a view to our blessing. The wonder of flight is inconsequential when compared to how much God loves us and wants to bless us. If you have the desire to make your day a truly great one, just think a bit on this list and re-read the passage. Who knows what wonders you might see.