Lessons from the Sea

Tony Moore at Topsail Island 2013

Every year, while at our beach retreat, I think I should write about things I think as I walk the beautiful miles of white sand. And I have never done it.

This year, I came up with a strategy. I'm going to call it my Word of the Day. Each day, I was struck with a different aspect of nature which led me to compare it to its Creator, asking, "How is God reflected in this element of creation?"

So, I have some words with simple thoughts. I would love to hear your thoughts and other words you would use. Here are mine:

VAST - We arrived at Surf City after dark on Sunday evening. I can't be at the beach and just go to bed. I have to go to the water. As I stood in the warm water, I saw a near full moon high in the sky. It was the brightest night I've ever experienced. I looked out on the water - it looked like it went on forever. I looked into the sky. The stars were brilliant. Immediately, I thought, How vast is this universe! And how vast is God's love. Ephesians 3:17-19 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

MOVEMENT - It was cloudy on Monday, but still warm enough to enjoy the day outside. I noticed that nothing living is always perfectly still. Movement has been built into all of creation. The tides, the wind, running sandpipers, soaring seagulls, diving pelicans, and migrating geese, butterflies, and sharks, the sun racing across the sky while the grass reaches for the sunlight, clouds billowing and dissipating, the blood coursing through my body. That same movement of resurrection life is in followers of Christ. Acts 17:28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

COLOR - The sun was out in full force the rest of the week. No more gray skies and water. The colors were radiant. They were all there, not one hue missing, though I noticed that it's apparent that God and I both favor blues. Throughout the Penteteuch and again in John's Revelation, colors are significant and prominent. God isn't boring. Look around, there's no such thing as white people and black people, we're all shades in between. Wouldn't it be boring if every blade of grass were the same shade of green? 1 Peter 4:10 God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts.

What did you come up with? I'll have more next fall.