Saturday Mornings
If you are of a certain age, Saturday morning has a whole different meaning than it does now. From about 8am to noon, the 4-5 television stations in town were transformed into the cartoon channel. It was awesome!
That was the days of the Smurfs, Land of the Lost (technically not a cartoon, but made for kids), M.A.S.K., Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Thundercats, He-Man, Fat Albert and a bunch more. Here’s a list of 50 of the best Saturday morning cartoons.
That list of 50 ranks my favorite as a kid at #9 – Super Friends. It was all the heroes from the DC universe in one stop (Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman and more). It only lasted a couple of years, andy it should have been much longer!
The Wonder Twins
My favorite characters were not the superstars. My favorites were the Wonder Twins – Zan and Jayna, along with their pet monkey Gleek. I don’t know what it was…maybe the pet monkey, I always love the pet sidekick characters…but I loved the Wonder Twins.
The Wonder Twins would touch hands and turn into something else (Zan into a form of water & Jayna into a shape of an animal). They would yell,
Wonder Twin powers activate! Form of…Shape of…
Activate!
In doing a little reading about the Wonder Twins for this post, it seems Zan & Jayna are only able to use their powers when they can physically touch (or use Gleek as a conduit). They need each other. The must work as a team to save the world.
The power of team.
Team allows us to do the impossible. It’s true.
The story of the Tower of Babel (find it in Genesis 11:1-9) has all the people of earth congregated in Babel. They begin to build a tower to reach the sky, and they are successful.
In fact, the Trinity speaks among themselves about it saying:
Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! -Genesis 11:6
United and speaking the same language, man is able to do anything.
God, though, has a problem with this. Not that they are unstoppable (save Himself), it’s what He designed us to do. His problem has to do with motive. Here is the motive they had in building the tower:
Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” -Genesis 11:4
Glory. They wanted glory for themselves.
God is a glory hog. He deservedly wants glory for Himself. He wants us to team together, activate our powers, do the impossible, then give Him the glory.
Let me show you…
The power of team…take 2.
First, God scatters the people of Babel and confuses their language. He stops their master plan.
Second, God does want us to successfully “take over the world.”
In Acts 2 is the story of Pentecost, which happens after Jesus’ death, resurrection and return to heaven. His disciples have gathered together to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Once again, you see a group of people unified (in one room, seeking God) and speaking the same language (through the Holy Spirit).
As they exit the room, somethings snaps, the world is changed…never to be the same again (read the rest of Acts and the history of the early church).
What’s different?
Acts 2:11 says this about those who heard the disciples exiting the room:
“we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
They were giving Glory to God!
God blesses us when we gather in unity, speaking the same language, giving Him glory. When we meet this criteria, we become the Wonder Twins. Our power is activated. We can’t be stopped!
What’s your language?
God designed us to be relational. He made us to live in marriage, family and friendship.
These relationships…connections…give us purpose. It is what unites us. It causes us to speak a similar language.
Have you ever been with someone who looks or feels like they should be a “buddy,” but you just don’t connect? It’s like you speak different languages. I’ve had moments like that – everything being equal, we should be connected and united…we just didn’t speak the same language.
Who is someone who speaks your language?
Cross Points Church
Over the past 2 years, I’ve enjoyed being on this type of team. I’ve found a group of people who I connect with. They speak my language. We have a common grand purpose to give glory to God (through connecting with our immediate community – Shawnee, Kansas).
It’s made a difference in my world. It’s helped me escape the desert.
I pray you find the same thing.
Who is your team?
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