Morning at the Beach
The ocean is absolutely amazing. Yesterday I couldn’t help but notice how many people had left their footprints in the sand. Then a storm blew in last night leaving debris all over the beach. It wasn’t a pretty sight. But this morning as I watched the sun rise with the morning tide, there was no evidence of the prior day. The waves had come ashore and washed the beach clean. It was refreshed and ready for new people, new adventures, and new memories to be created.
Nature reminds us of God’s power. No matter how many footprints have trampled on our souls leaving their mark - or how much debris has accumulated on our beach, God has the amazing capacity to wash us clean and give us a fresh beginning. The hymn says “morning by morning new mercies I see.” Every morning as our eyes open, the grace of God is already waiting for us with power to wash away the sins and mistakes of yesterday… and then open an extraordinary day where his compassion and mercy give us greater joy than we could ever imagine.
I know the folks in the Gulf Coast would like a clean beach. Sometimes man’s mistakes or failures can be so severe the entire environment around us is affected. That’s where the church comes in. Our powerful God continues to wash into the lives of his children daily – desiring to cleanse and renew – but many times God also invites his children to join in the work of cleaning and redeeming lives. The radical call to the church is to join God in reclaiming the beauty of the beach and renewing the adventure God has placed in the heart of every individual. It’s not an easy call. Sometimes the storms of life have left a huge amount of debris on the beach!
Our devotional readings over the last couple of weeks have reminded us how God hates complacency. This morning as I walked on a clean beach at sunrise, it was a holy moment to remember how God calls powerfully to the church every day to join him in healing the broken-hearted, giving sight to the blind, and power to the lame so they might walk.
It’s a new day. I hope you’re ready, because the oil spill is spreading. Thankfully, God has given you some extraordinary gifts to share and a passionate work to join in. May you answer his call and find the new mercy that waits!
