MANTA LIGHT

On the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii is a small town that is known for a lot of amazing things. Kailua-Kona is a land of black lava fields, rugged rocky coastlines, crystal clear waters, historical Hawaiian heiau’s, fruitful fishponds, and ancient petroglyphs. It is the home of the iconic Kona coffee bean, the annual Iron Man triathlon, the international billfish deep water fishing tournament, and so much more. But of all the things that Kona is famous for, none is more awe-inspiring than what you’re able to see after sunset, just below the surface of the ocean. As the sun slips below the western horizon, it is time to slip beneath the surface of the water. As you sink into the black water below, it’s like being transported into another planet. It is like descending into the dark abyss of a whole new world. It is dark but it’s anything but dreary or dull. For below the surface of the black night is what I consider one of the top five things to see before you die! Giant manta rays dancing in the light! Considered by many as the best night dive in the world, the black water manta dive is an experience that human language cannot adequately describe. You’ve got to see it to believe it! 

All year long, these massive manta rays, with wingspans of up to 15 feet across, glide through the coastal waters with mouths wide open. They are filter feeders, feasting upon large quantities of zooplankton in the form of shrimp, krill, and tiny crabs. With their broad heads, triangular winglike pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins, flat disc-like bodies, and wide mouth, they are an incredible sight to behold! As the manta approaches a cloud of plankton, it unrolls its cephalic fins in order to channel food into its mouth. If the cloud of plankton is particularly thick, the manta will do somersaults, or barrel rolls, to catch all the tiny critters. Even though the opening of their mouths can fit your head, these magnificent creatures are perfectly harmless. They don’t have teeth, and their esophagus is the size of a small coin. Unlike their stingray cousin, manta rays do not have a barbed tail stinger. They are non-aggressive and perfectly harmless to humans. It is an awesome privilege to be in the presence of these gentle giants of the sea as they do their manta dance in the night light! 

The reason why the black water manta dive is the best night dive in the world is because the mantas are drawn to the light. The light attracts the plankton, the plankton attracts the mantas, and the mantas attract happy divers like me! It is a win-win situation for the mantas and the divers. The mantas get a good meal, and the divers get an unforgettable show! Flashlights are provided by the dive company. But I brought my own dive light which happens to be 10 times brighter than all the rest. Since the mantas are attracted to the light, whoever has the brightest light becomes the most attractive. Words cannot describe the feeling I had, seeing manta after manta come to me with 15-foot wingspans and mouths wide open, doing barrel rolls over my head all dive long! Some got so close that their tummies were rubbing on the top of my head. It was nothing short of spectacular! 

Besides the experience itself, the spiritual lesson the mantas taught was just as incredible! As the mantas hunger is fulfilled by coming close to the light, so too, the longing heart of humanity can only be satisfied in the light of God’s love. It is in the illuminating light of God’s love that we experience fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). The love of God is the brightest light in the universe that attracts hungry humanity from the darkness of death into the light of life! 

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NRSV). It was said of Him that in Him was light, and the light was the life of men. And the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:4-5). In a world of dense spiritual darkness, deception, distraction, delusion, and destruction, we must come close to the light! We must look upon and listen to the light of God’s Word. For “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”! (Psalm 119:105, KJV). And “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130, KJV). And, as we dwell in the light of truth and love, we then become lamps to shine that light to others. And He who has the brightest light becomes the most attractive! For the Bible says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7, KJV). Jesus is the light. He makes us His lamp to shine the light of His love in a world of spiritual darkness. 

So, in these last days, as the sun of hope gives way to the night of woe, I invite you to come to the night Light! When the darkness of the evil one settles around you and you feel all alone, come to the night Light! When the night of sorrow is long, and the day of joy is short, come to the night Light! Learn the lessons from the manta dance. Open your mouth wide so that God can fill it. And when you do, just like the mantas of the Kona coast, people will flock to see the One shining in and through you, the wonderful God of grace that teaches us to dance like the mantas in the glorious gleaming of the night Light!