I just received an email from Katie which said, “What a blessing that God brought you to a place near water. I thought of how you always found strength by sitting by the water in Alexandria and now you are finding strength by the mighty ocean!”
I wonder why I love to go down to the ocean to pray and spend time with the Lord. I think part of it is the sound of the crashing waves which allows me to tune out all distractions and venture into my world with God. I love the sound of the waves tumbling into the shore.
I also love going to the sea because when I gaze out into the vast ocean my life somehow comes into perspective. There’s a huge ocean out there, full of creatures from microscopic phytoplankton to whales the size of school busses…some creatures haven’t even been discovered yet.
The sun and moon rise and set over all the creatures in and around the sea, the same way they do for me. To me, simply acknowledging this is comforting. When I’m going through a tough time, I find comfort in knowing that even though I’m in pain, and I’m hurting…the sun still rises and sets, the fish in the sea still carry on swimming, the waves crash and there is peace and harmony in God’s awesome orchestra which He calls creation.
Psalm 42
A deer pants for flowing streams,
So pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
My tears have been my food day and night…
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
And why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God for I shall again praise him
my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I remember you…
Deep calls to deep
And the roar of your waterfalls;
All your breakers and your waves have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
And at night his song is with me,
A prayer to the God of my life.
This morning I woke up, grabbed some tea and read Psalm 42. My soul thirsts for the Lord and to know Him better. But like the writers of this Psalm, there is turmoil between my feelings of abandonment and the truth that God is unchanging and always with me. I love how the writers remind us that even though our souls are weary, there IS hope in God and we can remember all the times in the past where His faithfulness was revealed to us. I cry out, “Come Lord Jesus Come” fill my weary soul and refresh me! And the powerful roar of His waterfalls deafen me, and His breakers wash over and overwhelm me with His presence. I am filled with His spirit and renewed again.
I also love going to the sea because when I gaze out into the vast ocean my life somehow comes into perspective. There’s a huge ocean out there, full of creatures from microscopic phytoplankton to whales the size of school busses…some creatures haven’t even been discovered yet.
The sun and moon rise and set over all the creatures in and around the sea, the same way they do for me. To me, simply acknowledging this is comforting. When I’m going through a tough time, I find comfort in knowing that even though I’m in pain, and I’m hurting…the sun still rises and sets, the fish in the sea still carry on swimming, the waves crash and there is peace and harmony in God’s awesome orchestra which He calls creation.
Psalm 42
A deer pants for flowing streams,
So pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
My tears have been my food day and night…
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
And why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God for I shall again praise him
my salvation and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I remember you…
Deep calls to deep
And the roar of your waterfalls;
All your breakers and your waves have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
And at night his song is with me,
A prayer to the God of my life.
This morning I woke up, grabbed some tea and read Psalm 42. My soul thirsts for the Lord and to know Him better. But like the writers of this Psalm, there is turmoil between my feelings of abandonment and the truth that God is unchanging and always with me. I love how the writers remind us that even though our souls are weary, there IS hope in God and we can remember all the times in the past where His faithfulness was revealed to us. I cry out, “Come Lord Jesus Come” fill my weary soul and refresh me! And the powerful roar of His waterfalls deafen me, and His breakers wash over and overwhelm me with His presence. I am filled with His spirit and renewed again.
