Friday, September 3, 2010

I'm bigger than you

I traveled over to Myrtle Beach a few weeks ago to see Seth! Being that he works 7 days a week, these couple of trips to Myrtle have resulted in my first times spent alone on the beach! (Which I would recommend to anyone.)

This last trip, I found myself on a secluded portion of beach, away from the exhaustive crowd of the hotel's beach front, and ended up falling in love with the family who beached near me!  It was a couple in their early thirties, and their little boy, who was probably no older than 6.

It was already a perfect place to spy on God! The Carolina sun beat down with a fierceness that was, thankfully, abated by a constant sea breeze, and every wave roared with His power. But nothing spoke of God so profoundly as this beautiful family!

The mother's care for her husband and son, mixed with the comfortable conversation with someone I can only assume was a close friend, was a good start. But my heart was sold when the father raced his son to the ocean, picked him up, and carried him deeper into the ocean!

Hand in hand, they waded into the ocean, until the waves were too much for the little boy. At this point, he picked up his boy, and walked out until the waves crashed on both of their chests. I couldn't help smiling, what with the little boy's squeals being carried to shore on the wind. Looking up, the Lord stole my heart even further.  The father proceeded to take his boy, swing him over his shoulders, and wade out even deeper! I cannot say who was having a harder time breathing- the Father, who walked out so deep that the waves went over his head at their peak, or the little boy, who laughed so hard each time he knew he was the only one above water.

"How great, the Father's love for us!" As they ran back ashore with the little boy yelling to his mommy, "Did you see?! Did you see?!", the father's face beamed with delight. He knew he had made his little boy joyful.

My daddy once told me something about the Lord, which was so simple, and so wise. In a season of hardship and fear, he said to me: "What if the Lord just wants you to be happy?"

The words of a loving father.

The father was not perturbed one bit at having salt water repeatedly slapping him in the face! He was gleaming! It was his delight to throw his boy on his shoulders, and to carry him out in the ocean- which was in itself quite dangerous for the boy. But in his father's arms, he was safe, and having the time of his life!

Later the husband and wife sat together, while their son played in the ocean by himself. They called to him constantly saying, "Not too far!", while he yelled back, "I can do it! I can do it!" When he went further than his knees, the father went out and gave him a stern talking to- expressing their concern, and warning him not to go any further.

Sweet, Lord. Can we go as far into the ocean by ourselves?! Absolutely not. But how He delights watching us play, and hoisting us on His shoulders to go deeper than we could ever go on our own. He is so good!

Later the father and son had a race from the beach to the mom. The little boy ran with every bit of strength he could muster, and the father put in just enough effort to come in a close second, joyfully taking in the boasts of his son to his mother.

I want God! The Father, who lets his son barely beat him in a race- just to make him run his fastest, while stirring in him the belief that he can run the race and win it. And He smiles and laughs as his son tells him how fast he is! And the Father affirms it as truth.

He races us, so that we may run our fastest! He stays with us, to maintain our purpose! He delights in our triumphs! And He affirms us with exclamations of our abilities! He warns us when we wade further into the waters than we can handle, and lifts us on His shoulders to go deeper.

And I get to KNOW Him!! So... I'm off to have the time of my life!! God bless!