Sun.3.15.15 Look at your Fish!

We're Going Fishing!

For the next couple weeks we're going fishing...in the book of Jonah that is. And I promise you that you will catch a lot. So here's a good story with a very good lesson for us as we look, look, look into God's word. It's called...

Look at Your Fish!

by Samuel Hubbard Scudder (abbreviated by me- d.g. Who loves ya?)

Samuel H. Scudder (1837-1911) was an American entomologist who studied under the noted zoologist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz at Harvard's Lawrence Scientific School.

It was more than fifteen years ago that I entered the laboratory of Professor Agassiz. He reached from a shelf a huge jar of specimens in yellow alcohol.

"Take this fish," said he, "and look at it; we call it a haemulon; by and by I will ask what you have seen." In ten minutes I had seen all that could be seen in that fish, and started in search of the professor, who had however left the museum. Half an hour passed--an hour--another hour; the fish began to look loathsome. I turned it over and around; looked it in the face--ghastly; from behind, beneath, above, sideways, at a three-quarters view--just as ghastly. I was in despair; at an early hour I concluded that lunch was necessary; so, with infinite relief, the fish was carefully replaced in the jar, and for an hour I was free. 

On my return, I learned that Professor Agassiz had been at the museum, but had gone and would not return for several hours. My fellow-students were too busy to be disturbed by continued conversation. Slowly I drew forth that hideous fish, and with a feeling of desperation again looked at it. I pushed my finger down its throat to feel how sharp the teeth were. I began to count the scales in the different rows until I was convinced that that was nonsense. At last a happy thought struck me--I would draw the fish; and now with surprise I began to discover new features in the creature. Just then the professor returned.

"That is right," said he; "a pencil is one of the best of eyes." With these encouraging words, he added, "Well, what is it like?" He listened attentively to my brief rehearsal of the structure of parts whose names were still unknown to me. When I had finished, he waited as if expecting more, and then, with an air of disappointment: "You have not looked very carefully; why," he continued, more earnestly, "you haven't even see one of the most conspicuous features of the animal, which is as plainly before your eyes as the fish itself; look again, look again!" and he left me to my misery.

I was mortified. Still more of that wretched fish! But now I set myself to my task with a will, and discovered one new thing after another, until I saw how just the professor's criticism had been. The afternoon passed quickly, and when, towards its close, the professor inquired: "Do you see it yet?"

"No," I replied, "I am certain I do not, but I see how little I saw before."

"That is the next best," said he earnestly, "but I won't hear you now; put away your fish and go home; perhaps you will be ready with a better answer in the morning. I will examine you before you look at the fish."

This was disconcerting; not only must I think of my fish all night, studying without the object before me, what this unknown but most visible feature might be; but also, without reviewing my new discoveries, I must give an exact account of them the next day. I had a bad memory.

The cordial greeting from the professor the next morning was reassuring; here was a man who seemed to be quite as anxious as I that I should see for myself what he saw. "Do you perhaps mean," I asked, "that the fish has symmetrical sides with paired organs?" His thoroughly pleased "Of course! of course!" repaid the wakeful hours of the previous night. After he had discoursed most happily and enthusiastically--as he always did--upon the importance of this point, I ventured to ask what I should do next. "Oh, look at your fish!" he said, and left me again to my own devices. In a little more than an hour he returned and heard my new catalogue.

"That is good, that is good!" he repeated; "but that is not all; go on"; and so for three long days he placed that fish before my eyes; forbidding me to look at anything else, or to use any artificial aid. "Look, look, look," was his repeated injunction. This was the best entomological lesson I ever had--a lesson, whose influence has extended to the details of every subsequent study; a legacy the professor has left to me, as he has left it to many others, of inestimable value, which we could not buy, with which we cannot part. Look, look, look!" 

This week we will be looking at a great fish- the book of Jonah and I want you to look at your fish! Look, look, look! You will be amazed at what you will discover that you may never have seen before. Just as the student used a pencil to draw the fish, use a pen to mark what you see in Scripture. I can't study my Bible without a pen in hand. It's a statement of faith- Lord, I believe you want to teach me something and I'm ready to receive from you. "So Lord, open our eyes that we may behold wonderful things in Your word, and our wonderful King!”

1.-When you've watched the short video below, just share a bit about such. Who could you pass this on to? Let's not be like Jonah who rebelled against sharing the life saving news. It's a whole lot easier and safer for us than for him. (This one is also included on the Greatest Mini-movies site.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l66jjHuO57U

Also, feel free to post anything you got out of Sunday's message. (This is not required.)

Thanks for the great recommendations of praise songs this past week.
Here's one I woke up to- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E