Refreshed by the Water

I’m writing this post from my “happy place”, the beach!  My husband and I have been coming to the same area since before we had kids.  I’m sitting on the balcony looking down on the sugar white sand and the turquoise blue water, watching how calm the water is.  I absolutely love the ocean!  It has such a calming effect on me, and when I look out on the horizon I am reminded just how BIG my God is and how small I am.  He knows every creature that swims in the deep blue waters, from the tiniest of fish to the largest whale.  My family and I were headed down to the sand one day and we realized that we forgot several things.  So I volunteered to trek back to the condo to retrieve them. As I began to walk away from the beach it seemed the sun was beating down even hotter, and the short walk across the street seemed longer.  I made it back to our room and got what we needed and began to make my way back to our chairs in the sand.  I realized how tired I was and how heavy the load I was carrying felt.  I needed refreshing so I looked toward the ocean.  As I walked the few feet in that direction I noticed how the breeze had picked up just a little, cooling me down.  How the sun was still beating down, but wasn’t quite so hot anymore.  I noticed my legs and arms weren’t as tired from walking and carrying the load I had been carrying.  And as soon as my feet hit the edge of the water and a tiny wave rolled up over my feet and ankles, I was completely refreshed.  I thought, “THIS is how it is with The Lord!”  As we move away from Him, our burdens become a heavier load to bare.  Our problems seem bigger, the road seems longer, and the sun feels hotter with no relief in site.  But as we turn our focus back to God, moving toward Him, our burdens seem lighter, the problem not so big, the sun not as hot.  He can lessen our load, He can carry our problems and stresses.  He bids us to set them at His feet and allow His peace to refresh us.  “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30 CSB).  His presence, being still, and knowing He is God will refresh us like the ocean on a hot day.  That’s why I simply love being at the beach.  When I sit next to the ocean and watch the peaceful rhythm of the waves, it reminds me what God told Job, that He is the one, “Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst from the womb,  when I made the clouds its garment and total darkness its blanket, when I determined its boundaries and put its bars and doors in place, when I declared: “You may come this far, but no farther; your proud waves stop here” (Job 38: 8-11).  Friend, The One who gave the waves their boundaries can certainly handle your burdens.  Walk toward God, read His Word and pray to Him.  He will refresh you!  Please leave a comment and share when God has refreshed you, or if you need refreshing, I would be honored to pray for you! Thank you for taking the time to read this and have a blessed day!