Starting Right
Starting Right is a 5 minute Day Starter to help keep you motivated, encouraged, and focused throughout your day. DannyMac is a pastor, teacher, motivational speaker, husband, and father. His years of leading and training people have given him vast experience in helping individuals to accomplish change in their lives and meet their goals. He can help you set the course for your day by offering practical advice from God's Word in a positive and fun way. There is no better way to begin your day than by Starting Right with DannyMac.
Starting Right
The Ocean's Secret Oasis
The mighty Amazon River, spanning over 6,800 kilometers through nine South American countries, creates a remarkable phenomenon where fresh water extends nearly 200 miles into the ocean. When a ship's desperate crew signaled their dire need for water to a passing vessel, they received the cryptic message: "let down your buckets." Their initial confusion turned to amazement when they discovered life-saving fresh water directly beneath them.
Good morning and welcome to Starting Right with Danny Mac. I'm going to be here every Monday to Friday to help you get a great five-minute start to your day. So grab your cup of coffee, sit back, relax and let me help you start your day right. The Amazon River is the longest and mightiest river in the world. It is over 6,800 kilometers long. It originates in Peru and meanders its way down through nine South American countries until it enters into the ocean from the coast of Brazil. It also is responsible for 20% of the freshwater that gets entered into the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaker 1:Back in the late 1800s, sailing ships were very frequent along that particular coastline. Ships communicated at that point in time by using flags. There's a ship there that had gone for many days and now they were without fresh water. They'd been searching for land and had not seen any, and they were now quite desperate. Another ship was seen coming over the horizon. It got close enough for them to signal. So they signaled we need water. Desperate condition. As the second ship passed, it signaled back and said let down your buckets. The captain of the first ship, feeling that the second ship didn't understand, signaled back to them we need water, we are dying. And again the second ship signaled back let down your buckets. And then the ship kept going off into the horizon. The captain of the first ship reportedly said I don't know what he means, but we're going to give it a try. What have we got to lose? So they let down their buckets, pulled up water and tasted it and amazingly it was cool, clear, fresh water. And here's what happened this Amazon River as it empties out into the Atlantic Ocean and for about 200 miles out to sea, there is this surge of fresh water that comes out into the ocean and it actually pushes away and pushes down the salt. For much of that area and in certain areas along the coastline, there is nothing but this cool, fresh and clear water. The sailors of the first ship, who thought they were dying, didn't know that all they had to do was to lower their buckets to get some fresh water.
Speaker 1:The Bible often uses water as symbolism of faith and salvation and provision. In the Gospel of John, jesus met with a woman at the well. In this conversation with her, he speaks to the woman about the water and he says in verses 13 and 14 of John, chapter 4, anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again, but those who drink the water I give them will never be thirsty again. It becomes like a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. Sometimes we can feel that we're thirsty for God, that we're thirsty for truth, that we're thirsty for strength and guidance, we're thirsty for peace.
Speaker 1:What we fail to realize is that the water that we need is right here with us, just like that ship that needed to just drop your buckets into the water get what you need. We have a relationship with God that says just come to me and I will give to you life. I am the author of springs of living water to pour into your soul, to refresh your soul, to encourage you and to lift you up. I can pour into you what you're looking for. Don't let what you think is around you cause you not to be able to receive what really is there that fresh spring of life and water that I have for you. The water that he offers to us is greater than anything we're going to find in this world. You're not going to find it from the politicians. You're not going to find it from what you own. You're not going to find it from your computer or your iPad or your cell phone. There's always going to be a part of us that recognizes the need for something more important, and that is our thirst for God, thirst for His Word, a thirst for what he has for us and what he wants to give us in our lives.
Speaker 1:Psalm 63 and verse 1,. You, god, are my God. Earnestly I seek you, I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you. In a dry and parched land where there is no water. Let's be refreshed today. Let's get a hold of God and God's Word and refresh our souls. That's where the strength will come. Keep our focus, keep your focus on where the water is coming from, where the power of God works to speak and strengthen us every day. He loves you, he's with you. Be blessed, have a great day. Thank you for listening today, and I invite you to join me Monday to Friday, right here on, starting Right with Danny Mac.
