Sabbatical - a reminder and the second lesson

The Reminder...

 

"I'm watching the glittering surface 

as the sun reflects its brilliance and warms the moving depths. 

I see the birds "clam digging" 

and am reminded of the sparrow. 

You provide the needs of all Your creatures 

in Your glittering perfection. 

You will provide ours as well!"

 

From my journal later on that first day

“Therefore I tell you:  

Don’t worry about your life, 

what you will eat or what you will drink; 

or about your body, what you will wear. 

Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?  

Consider the birds of the sky: 

They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, 

yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Aren’t you worth more than they?  

Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?  

And why do you worry about clothes? ...So don’t worry, saying,  

‘What will we eat?’ 

or 

‘What will we drink?’ 

or 

‘What will we wear?’  

For...your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,  

and all these things will be provided for you.  

Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow..."

 

                                                    ~~ Matthew 6:25-27, 31, 32 CSB ~~ 

 

The lesson...

 

There were many reminders

and lessons during my sabbatical.

I know all these things.

But sometimes I forget.

And God is so faithful 

to gently and effectively remind me!

 

My second lesson came shortly after the reminder above.

 

I had been swimming and playing in the waves,

going out toward the horizon

then back in to shore.

Out toward the horizon,

back in to shore.

Over and over.

I did not come back to my journal

because I was exhausted,

rather, I came back because I wasn't!

 

I learned long ago that playing in the sea

is much easier when I let the waves do the work.

It has push and pull.

Regardless of which direction I am headed,

when I move that direction with the push

and ride the pull back,

then move with the push, 

ride the pull back,

I am able to watch the water,

the fish and birds, 

and very quickly and easily

arrive at my destination.

And I'm not tired and have enjoyed the journey.

 

Sometimes, if my goal is exercise,

I fight the push.

You know, try to keep my feet planted on the bottom

or even move forward against the waves and current.

It is exhausting!

And fruitless since 

I can not prevent the powerful waves and current

pushing me where they want.

 

Yes,

when I don't fight,

if I am in deeper water,

when I ride the push,

very often, my feet are lifted from the solid bottom.

Sometimes, as I get closer to shore,

I bump my knees or bottom

on the sand.

Sometimes I was lifted to the top of the wave

to ride it with laughter.

Sometimes a wave washed over me as it broke

taking me by surprise.

But I did not drown even then!

And those things happen MORE

when I fight the waves!

 

It hit me!

God is the waves!

He carries me with the waves

as I allow Him! 

My journey is much more joyous

when I cooperate with Him in it

rather than fighting against the "waves" I don't like!

 

Teach me, oh my God,

teach me to rely wholly on You!

Teach me to trust You ~~~

~~~ in ALL the waves!