Tiny Bubbles

One of the best experiences I ever had with God came atop a cliff in Concepción, Chile. My mission team and I decided to check out a local national park during some time off, and amongst the black sand beaches, we found a great bluff to hike for a view over the ocean. The five of us prayed together, sat alone for awhile, and watched the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. It was a truly amazing experience; one that I’ll never forget, and one that is echoed in many people’s most powerful spiritual experiences—a lot of people find God most effectively in nature. Now, I’m not one to downplay the magnificence of nature and God’s presence in it, but I’ve recently found something that makes me think of God on a smaller scale. And which makes me giggle. I’m talking about bubbles.

Yes, bubbles.

There’s just something about them. Despite what science says about nearly spherical globules of gas contained in a liquid, I hold that bubbles are really little pockets of joy. Think about it: what’s the first thing you want to do when presented with a fresh roll of bubble wrap? Why, pop them of course. The world is full of proof that bubbles are responsible for a fair percentage of human joy: the soft drink industry makes billions every year for their bubbly beverages, bubble tea is the newest craze amongst many college students, and what trip to a restaurant would be complete without hearing a joyful youngster blowing bubbles into their drink in the booth behind you? Bubbles can save your life, too! Ask any surfer what to do when caught underwater with no idea of what way is up—blow bubbles, they’ll always rise to the surface of the water. Even the introverted take joy from bubbles—personal space bubbles, that is. Yes, sir or madam, bubbles really are the source of all joy.


And God made them too.


The same God that made that magnificent sunset over the southern Pacific also made the tiny bubbles that we so enjoy, especially in the summer. Tell me one thing that feels better than a flying leap into a cool lake on a blistering hot day. That blissful sensation of the bubbles from your impact making their way up to the surface of the water, skirting along your body on their quest for freedom can’t be beat. God made them as much as He made lions and mountains and any other sort of thing that strikes awe into our hearts. So often we put God in a box—a big one with bright colors and incredible dimensions. But very often, He’s also in a teeny tiny box, or in this case a nearly spherical globule of gas. Either way, He’s pretty amazing.