My family recently enjoyed a week’s vacation at Virginia Beach. While at the beach, I noticed trends among the people hanging out at the beach. There were people exercising on the paved boardwalk, whether it was biking, jogging, or walking. Then there were people camped out in the sand facing the ocean just basking in the sun. And yet another group of people who were wading or swimming in the ocean.
This last group got me thinking of something to write about for my next blog post. Within this group of people was a father and his four-year-old daughter. The father wading out in the foam of the ocean waves, and his daughter wanted to join him. She said, “Daddy, come get me. Carry me.” The father replied, “I will but you need to listen to me. It’s dangerous out there in the ocean.” So, the father proceeded to take her into the waves. The daughter yelped in terror of the onslaught waves continuing in their path. The father gripped her around her waist and held her tight above the crashing waves. Despite her fear of the tremendous waves, she knew as long as she was in the grasp of her father, she would be safe.
Like the image of the father carrying his daughter safely next to him in rushing ocean waters, God calls to us to draw near to Him. God calls each and every one of us, but do we get caught up in our busy schedule and not listen to His voice like the group on the boardwalk? Or do we get up close to God, admiring the idea of God’s awe and wonder without really encountering the person of God like those camped out in the sand just watching the ocean? Or do we hear His calling and ask Him to take us out in an adventure of the wide blue ocean, relying on His strength alone to navigate us through this wild and choppy world like the little girl who followed her father into the waves?
God desires us to experience His love and compassion. He wants us to be safe in His arms. But if we never ask or take that step toward the ocean, we will not experience who He really is and who He really wants us to become.
James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
Discussions to make God known 