Back to the Beach

There’s nothing like spending time on the beach in the sun to make all seem right with the world. But we all have to return to the “real world” sooner or later. Coming home to our usual hectic lives can often suck the vacation calm right out of us.

This past week, I found myself almost restless with the overwhelming joy of God’s creation. I saw pelicans recklessly diving head first to catch a fish spotted from high in the air – dolphins twisting and jumping, slapping the waves almost joyfully as they seemed to dance around each other – sandpipers tip-toeing across the hot sand – and tiny crabs skirting the foamy current that washed up on the hard sand.

Our last full day at the beach was beautiful. At one point, I just had to get up and take off down the beach. I actually felt like skipping, but to everyone’s relief (including mine), I just walked and walked. I felt like raising my hands to the Lord and shouting at the top of my lungs, “You alone are worthy to receive praise. You alone are worthy.”

What could have inspired this intense desire to “shout and dance before the Lord”? As I look back on it, I think it had to do with a shift of focus. Even though I am surrounded by the wonder of God’s creation every day, I sometimes get blind-sighted by my busyness.

But when I let those things fall out view, even for just a week, I began to feel this joy bubble up in my heart.

Have you ever seen a picture where the image in the forefront is sharp and clear and whatever is behind it is blurry? Everything is still in the frame, but only the image in the front is in focus.
This is the image I get when I think about Paul’s admonishment to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). This focus brings everything else into perspective – and the end result is this heart-skipping, can’t-stop-my-feet-from-moving kind of joy that strengthens and revives us.

Lord of all creation, Your majesty can be seen in all that You have made – the sparrows, the lilies of the field, the mountain tops, and the vast oceans. Your righteousness it reaches to the skies, Oh Lord – You who have done great things.

Check out: Romans 1:20