A Message from God.... through Dora the Explorer???

I have always believed that God speaks to us in a way that we will best understand and accept.  I think few people would be able to grasp the magnificence and meaning of a spoken word from God Himself.  Instead messages come through sermons, scripture, songs, friends.... and Dora the Explorer??  Maybe I've been a little stubborn lately, a little resistant to what He's been trying to tell me.  Maybe He finally decided to get down on my level.... and that seems to be a cartoon meant for a preschool audience.

It could be stress, it could be exhaustion, it could just be that I'm a little strange, but the episode of Dora that Tori was watching in my room this morning while I got ready for work really spoke to me.  We've watched it a hundred times on dvd, but it happened to be airing on tv this morning as well.

In this episode Dora is faced with a problem, a crisis even.  To resolve the crisis she has to overcome three obstacles and reach a goal.  How many times have we been in a similar situation.  How often does the solution to a crisis contain more than one obstacle or hurdle?  It makes it look like such a daunting and impossible mission.  Not to mention the evil one (in Dora's case, the witch) making the journey harder all along the way and just waiting for you to give up and give in.

As Dora overcomes each obstacle and completes each task she is given a magical tool that can be used at the next stop.  This is where the wheels in my head really started turning.  I was bothered that Dora was teaching children that there are magical tools that will just be handed to you.  Really, when was the last time someone handed you a bag of sunshine or a magical hair brush that would make your life easier?

Then it hit me.  I do have tools to conquer any crisis.  They don't necessarily come from friends and acquaintances, they come straight from God.  He has given us His Word to guide us, to use as a map.  The tool of prayer is a mighty one, a lifeline straight to God Himself.  His love, mercy, and grace can carry us through any obstacle.  Not over or around them, we will still have to endure them and overcome them.  But we never have to do it alone.

Dora's tools can only be used once.  She has to carefully choose when that time is.  Unlike Dora, the tools we are freely given never run out, their energy can never be exhausted.  No matter how many times we need it, God's grace can never be used up.  We are not given a set number of times we can call on God through prayer.  Everything He offers us is unending.

Have a blessed and wonderful day!