Be a Jellyfish!

Stay with me, surprisingly this applies to all of us. I always say I’m full of random facts. But they usually pop up as information someone needs in the strangest of ways. I felt strongly to share this story.

Many of you are familiar with VeggieTales right? The two founders, Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki (voices of Bob and Larry) lost power of the brand after the Jonah movie. They grew too fast after the movie and it began to fall apart. Phil wanted to build a brand that rivaled Disneyworld. Nothing wrong with ambition, drive, and vision in and of itself. But they found themselves having to sell the company to another larger company to keep the brand afloat. They kept some creative control for a while and they still are the voices behind VeggieTales.

After things went a different direction, Phil Vischer heard from God. Hev felt the Lord said to him, “I didn’t tell you to do all that you were doing. I just told you to tell stories. Be like a jellyfish and flow with the current.” God told Phil to FOLLOW His current and to MOVE on the current. We see this story illustrated beautifully in Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9. Yeah… it’s for kids but it truly blessed me, and I still had a few laughs.

So, he created JellyTelly (watching it with the kids now). With JellyTelly he tells stories, he explains complex Biblical concepts to children… however I learned so much myself. He walks them through the Bible. It’s more powerful than any VeggieTales I’ve seen and rich in new creative content. He also pulled other great Christian shows that may not have made it and were cancelled. Ever heard of Pahappahooey Island? You… I mean your kids need to see it. Great show. So he’s created not just his own shows… but his own channel, available online and on all streaming devices.  His channel has wildly grown in popularity. In my opinion, it is definitely greater than what he first created. By just… flowing with the Spirit.

Acts 17:28(NKJV) For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

There is a correlation between sonship and being lead by the Spirit of God!

Here’s something about Jellyfish and you:

1. Jellyfish rest and flow on the current to get around – We should be guided by the Spirit of God and rest in Him.
2. Jellyfish do move but it’s to propel the water around them – As we rest in the spirit, our movements are to help us build the kingdom WITH God’s leading, not independently of Him.
3. They have no brain but they have other mechanisms that together sort of act as a brain. This way they can “detect” the current and either swim toward or against it. God gives us discernment that does many things, but it also causes us to detect changes in current so we can keep up with his changes in direction. But we do have a mind and can actually choose what current to follow. Choose His current, the leading of the Holy  Spirit.

So for you and I, we work to build the kingdom in the natural… but in the spirit we rest when it comes to direction. We detect or discern the flow of God. And we propel through the water, or the Spirit as we rest and trust the flow in the direction God is taking us!