God’s love for us is fierce, all-consuming, sometimes dangerous but always good. So many songs use his love and the ocean as a metaphor. We can’t fathom the richness of his love until we experience the depth of the sea. I observe the yellow flag that whips back and forth in the wind and warns us of danger. This flag cautions that if we venture into the waves, full of unknowns, we have to rely on a power greater than ourselves.
We can’t trust that our feet will hold fast to the sinking sand when this silent reminder waves in the wind.
When we wade out into the water past where our feet fail, our fears become great, but we experience God’s love tangibly. And when we experience a love like this, we want to share what we’ve known to be true with others.
“Like a tidal wave, crashing over me, rushing in to meet me here, your love is fierce.”
“If his grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.”
“If You’re deep in the ocean, or high on the mountain Lord, my worship will chase You.”
“Spirit lead me where your trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me.”
“You call me out beyond the water and the waves.”
The vastness of God’s love compared with the depths of the ocean.
His love compared to the sea that is never-ending, expansive, wide, and deeper than we could ever imagine. So scary, but if our God could do everything I could do, what would be the point in my trusting him?
My husband and I are visiting the beach this week for a little getaway. Compelled, I stare at the water all day from our balcony, sitting on the beach, or even walking beside the water (accidentally running into my husband several times hee hee).
Early in the day, I watch as the ocean water begins calmly trickling onto the sand. Then the little waves become more and more intense as the day draws to an end. The water washes up onto the shore, reaching out and beckoning me to put my toes in. And just as my toes dip into the water, the tide pulls back to the larger existence.
As far as I can see, the ocean stretches beyond the horizon.
Yes, the ocean is beautiful when I’m standing on the sand. But I know it’s mysterious and dangerous. Filled with 3,500 pound Great White Sharks (they just found one off the coast of Nova Scotia!), strong rip currents, and a multitude of unknown sea life.
“Do you not fear me? declares the Lord. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over.
Jeremiah 5:22 ESV
Every time my feet have failed—new jobs, marriage, miscarriages, labor and delivery, postpartum, motherhood in general— God’s love and grace quickly met me.
My fears were numerous before each endeavor. I second-guessed and miscalculated my strength. But as I got farther into the waters, my feet were swept out from under me. But in these boundless waters, I had never experienced love and grace so tangibly, and they carried me the rest of the way. When I came to the end of myself, God’s love took over and made me stronger, wiser, and able to face the enigmatic ocean.
God’s love always finds us.
We see this in creation around us, in the sunrise, in a spouse’s loving touch, in the blessings of a child, in sharing a laugh or even a cry with a dear friend. But to really experience God’s love as a verb, we sometimes, unfortunately, have to face the unknown, the unwanted, the uninvited.
We have to walk out into the ocean, past the safety of the man-made buoys, and put our trust in who God is. We have to trust that the failure we face is for our good. And when we recognize that God has chosen to pursue us in these failing moments, we won’t fail by God’s standards. We can trust that God’s love won’t leave us in our disappointment. This misstep is for our good and for the good of others (To read more about putting your trust in God, you can read this post).
“We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t been broken. ”
2 Corinthians 4:8 The Msg
Yes, this ocean is extensive and enormous, but the sea is a wonderful, tactile example of God’s love. Roaming past our comfort zones challenges us as we imagine walking out into the water, past where our feet are stable. We trust that God will hold us. His grace will pull us back to the surface when we feel like we’re drowning. And his love will place our feet firmly on the rock of Jesus.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, that your creation reminds us of your love for us. I am so thankful that you keep reminding me that your love is deep, wide, and it covers us. Your love is fierce, strong, and furious. Sweet and wild, your love is waking hearts to LIFE (“Furious” by Jeremy Riddle). And as my husband and I walk these turbulent and calm, want-to-touch but can’t-control waters, we will remember the lifesaver you have been through every one of our trials. We love you so much and know you love us so much more. It is in your son’s name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
- God Loves You, But Does He (Really) Love Me?
- The Best Way to Find Calm in the Heart of Motherhood
- When Your Failure in Motherhood Becomes Your Greatest Success
- Why It’s Important to Have Self-Compassion
- Don’t Let Your Fear Destroy a Peaceful Psalm 23 Perspective
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Drawing YOU closer to God's heart, one hopeful word at a time
