Life’s a beach

I will never be good. I hate that. I will always be selfish, and I hate that, and I hate that I am at the beach and I just totally blew it. This shouldn’t be too surprising, because I am human and because of that, sinning comes really easily to me. Right now, I am sitting on the balcony of a beautiful beach home. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. The surf is clear and glorious. The sand is sugary white. There is a refreshing breeze that helps deliver the happy scents of salt and sea to the relaxed beach community, and I am sitting out here pouting because my husband just hurt my feelings. This situation is perplexing and ridiculous. Everything around me is perfect, and even though my husband just screwed up, he adores me. I am healthy and loved. I have 4 fantastic kids, great friends and all a girl could hope to wish for, but in the blink of an eye, my sun-kissed cheeks get wet with selfish tears that escape as my mouth delivers piercing and hurtful paybacks for my wounded ego.

It doesn’t take much for tranquility to take a nosedive. It is so easy for our seemingly harmonious lives to get off pitch. It happens when our children get hurt, or our workplace suffers a setback. We feel totally shaky and out of balance when or health is jeopardized or our reputation is slandered or our relationships hit a roadblock. All these assaults knock us off our feet when we employ them to be our foundation of self-worth and happiness. It is so easy to do. We cling to the Lord when our problems are more than we can handle, but we don’t cling as tightly when life is breezy.

We need to be vigilant about clinging to Him and seeking Him and hungering for Him all the time. Our circumstances change, but He never does. We really MUST turn our eyes upon Jesus all the time. When we don’t, we are in danger of depending on husbands, or health, or the happiness of our children or money or reputation for our security.

The beach is a sacred and precious place to me. It always reminds me of God’s power and love for me. When I take the time to look around and be still and listen, the constant rhythm of the crashing waves echo the constancy of my Heavenly Father’s character. He always picks me up when I fall. He always stretches out His strong arms to embrace me. He always forgives, always listens, always heals and guides and comforts and loves me in such a tender and beautiful way. The crash and roll of these waves never stop, but while they roll, there are interruptions. There is a loud little bird that keeps squawking on the dunes in front of me. A helicopter breaks up the cloudless blue sky with invitations to happy hour at the local bar and grill. Parents drag their whining kids and sandy tents and toys back to the adjacent units and 4-wheelers speed across the sand in route to serve the suntanned vacationers, but the waves never stop. My attention to them falters as the distractions interrupt their awesomeness, but the waves never fail.

Dear friends, please learn with me today about trusting in our Heavenly Father even when are lives are beachy. Husbands and kids and health and earthly security fail, but He NEVER does. He is the only one who has determined your self-worth, and He says you are precious. Seek Him all the time. Seek to know and be like His son. He is your strong tower and safe harbor and you need Him even when Life’s a beach.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17 (NKJV)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Psalm 103: 1-4 (NKJV)