Waves.

There is something magical about the beach isn’t there? The powder white sand, kids building large sand castles, sunburned skin bobbing up and down in the ocean, and my favorite – the waves. 

Every morning of this vacation, I awake early and sit on our balcony overlooking the ocean. Dolphins feeding greet me there, as well as fisherman and beachgoers trying to get the perfect seat reserved for their day in the sun. Seagulls fly by low in a perfect row, ready to snatch their prey out of the ocean. Fishing boats are in the distance, ready to earn their take-home. And oh, this morning I see a tractor combing the beach and I instantly feel at home. But of all the beauty God has created here, my favorite are the waves.

Now that is saying ALOT because if you know me at all, you know I am not a fan of the water. Isn’t that just like God to reveal His goodness in my fear? He has spoken such truth in the middle of those waves – truth I so desperately needed to hear.

This was the first time my kids have gotten to see the ocean. Do you remember the first time you saw it? I do – I still feel that way every time I see it. Granted it has been 20 years since I’ve seen its vastness, and boy it sure didn’t disappoint! It just goes on forever and ever, with no end in sight and on this early morning, I feel God speaking His goodness over me. My dear, I know your joy of this trip – I created this time just for you. I needed to show you so many things and I knew this would interrupt your life enough for me to show you. That vast ocean you love – there is no end in your sights, yet you still feel joy from seeing that. Why then, my love, are you so afraid of the vastness of your body’s illness? See, they are one in the same, yet you only see joy in the one part. There is a third part that you so often forget – my love is that vast, that unending, that wide. I am in them all. Change your lense dear one and ride the waves with joy.
I find myself in love with the waves – they mesmerize me. Their sound can soothe a crying little one to sleep, can calm a wrestless heart, can teach you all too overlooked life lessons. The first thing we did when we hit the beach was head for the waves. We were all a little timid at first, but it didn’t take long before we were hysterically laughing at the force to which would knock us down. We screamed with joy as each single wave came in and the not knowing how hard it would hit us, kept us in constant delight. One of those waves knocked me down and the suction from the tide drawing back for the next wave, made it hard to get up. I didn’t want to get hammered in the face by the next wave so I found myself getting a little anxious as I struggled to rise to my feet. These weak muscles made it somehow and I got up before I got hit. But God showed me something in that moment of struggle and fear. Waves of life have been keeping me down and guess what? I wasn’t fight hard enough to find the joy in them.
You rule over the surging sea; when it’s waves mount up, you calm them. Psalm 89:9

Waves – something that can be so beautiful, calming and soothing, can also be looked at as dangerous, scary, ripping. If you have ever been in an ocean, you know how the current can pull you out into the ocean quickly. It’s so strong and you don’t really see it coming. Life tends to be that way also. I had no idea when I got strep 6 years ago that it would lead to all my health issues I struggle with today. No clue. It snowballed and happened so fast – that was a big wave that I resented for too long. It brought me down HARD and no matter how hard I tried, the current wouldn’t let go of me. And wave after wave kept hitting, with no end in sight. But now, God has revealed all the beautiful shells and treasures that have washed up on my heart’s shore. In that moment of fear and struggle on the beach, God revealed how far I have come in the raw struggles I have faced.

 I still have a long way to go and still daily pray for the strength to stand through those waves joyfully and to only be knocked down when needed. A little one asked me if waves ever stop. I smiled and answered “No buddy. They go on forever and ever.”  “Forever?” He asked. “Yep they will always be there FOREVER” So will be God’s love for me, for you.

No matter what wave is knocking you down today, have you trusted Him enough to see the joy in your waves? Waves never end and if we live submerged by the fear each one will create, we will never find that joy and peace in Him. Peace like early morning beach waves.

He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. Job 9:8