“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you."
~ Isaiah 43:2
Jason awoke early for a peaceful
walk along the Caribbean coastline. The
ocean had always been his remedy for relieving tension, worry, and anxiety.
Its shore marked a graceful arc in the sand, glittering
under the remains of a moonlit sky. With
a soothing sound, the waves rolled in a brief burst of kelp. Every few meters he discovered a briny treasure,
once the habitat for some aquatic creature - footprints they left behind soon
erased.
From the sandy shore, he gazed out at the horizon before him.
Waves of a royal blue crept towards him
and then ran away, only to repeat the process in a cycle that left a salty mist
on his feet. But beyond those magical
waves was something even more breathtaking and spectacular: the rising sun.
Beautiful smudges of coral, lavender, and a fiery orange blended
together to create a sight so astounding it swept away all his worries, just
like the waves creeping over seashells and stealing them back into its depths.
He inhaled deeply as the sunlight poured over him, allowing his
mind to focus on the ocean’s energy. It
cleansed him from head to toe; from the inside out. Negativity and fear escaped like the outgoing
tide.
When he imagined its healing power, he pictured countless
others who must feel the same way - surfers, divers, swimmers, and children grinning
from ear to ear. The ocean serves as
medicine for so many.
Its power is immeasurable.
We’ve learned to travel over the mighty oceans, to descend to the bottom
of them, and to travel through them - but the relentless force of their waves
remain untamable. Rocks are crushed,
shorelines are changed, and even the most experienced sailors can be driven
aground or sent to their bottoms. Man’s
combined genius and equipment can do little to conquer the oceans.
They’re no problem for God, however. The One who created the mighty oceans does
with them what He wishes. And when the
turbulent seas of adversity are threatening, we need to remember His awesome
power.
Sometimes there are obstacles that seem overwhelming to us. But like the seas, they have no more
resistance to God’s power than water in a teacup!
God’s love is like that.
It's refreshing, powerful, and a little terrifying at times. But all you need to experience His love and
healing grace is the desire to walk closely with Him, a willingness to confess
your sinfulness, and a sincerity to communicate with Him daily.
“Dear God, Your ocean is so wide and my boat is
so small; the winds are so strong - my sail so slight; and the world so fierce and
I’m so frail. Please watch over me,
Amen.” ~ Winfred Ernest Garrison
