Most of you know that a few weeks ago Pastor Todd and I took vacation in Myrtle Beach. What you may not know is that this Midwest girl has come to love being around the water. I find it very calming. So as we spent time on the beach I was relaxing and reflecting.

I enjoyed walking in the edge of the ocean and letting the waves break over my body. I considered how it is a metaphor for life. The waves come in and go out and the tides range from high to low. You come to recognize that sometimes you need to brace yourself when a wave hits so you don’t get swept out further than you want. But other times, the best thing to do is just roll with it. The water washes in and the sand moves under your feet and to resist it is futile. But if you relax instead, the wave returns to the ocean and you are still standing.

We witnessed the tip of a tropical storm that week with 40+ mile per hour winds. Trees were bent and the water was very stirred up. For a few hours, it would’ve been unsafe to be anywhere on the beach. But afterwards, it was a beautiful day again. However, you could tell a storm passed through. The landscape of the beach was changed – not damaged in this case, but different. In fact, the stormy winds left behind many beautiful sea shells.

Like the ocean waves, storms come and go in our lives. We have highs and lows, we see times to dig in and hold our ground and times to roll with the punches. The beautiful thing is that the God who made all the vast oceans also made us…and we can trust Him.

Isaiah 43:1-3a says: But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

If you don’t have a relationship with God today, all you have to do to start is reach out to Him. Then reach out to a church that will help you learn about the Bible and about walking with God in discipleship. That’s simply a way to say that God is our teacher and we are his students. If you already know God, I pray you feel His presence in your life richly today.

Riding the waves along with you,
Pastor Cindy