Devotions for the Beach

Driftwood

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.  – Daniel 11:35 NIV

Usually, driftwood forms when trees or large, wooden objects have been swept away by the sea either by natural or human efforts. The pieces that make it back to shore are smooth to the touch and are often used as decorative pieces or furniture. Other pieces anchor the foundation of a sand dune, with its former life a thing of the past.

But a lot of driftwood doesn’t make it back to shore. It’s eaten by bacteria and organisms, and it eventually disintegrates while it drifts. A lot like what happens to us when we remain in a quandary of doubt: our stomachs churn, and we can feel as though we’re being eaten from the inside out. What better way for the enemy to render us useless than to have us doubt our faith?

We may question if we were ever faithful in the first place. We might second-guess our motives or wonder if this Christian life is really worth it. Maybe God let us down and we’re angry with Him—to the point that we’re not speaking to Him. Or we drift because life is actually going very well—we’re distracted by our new promotion, or new boyfriend, or new home, for example—so we adopt this idea that we must be doing something right, and we can therefore lighten up on living out our faith. We think that perhaps we don’t need Him for everything, after all.

Then there is another reason for drifting: God’s people—or those who masquer­ade as God’s people—let you down. Sometimes, we’re so fragile that all it takes is an unfriendly exchange with a greeter, neglect from a leader, or judgment from a church clique to send us packing. After all, why would we want to follow a Savior whose followers act that way? And they’re the ones who represent Him?

Stay faithful. If you’re hurting, stay hopeful. Pray and give thanks to God for the opportunity to grow; ask Him to shed light, ask Him for clarity. If you’re expe­riencing a season of blessings, don’t discount the Provider; invite Him to celebrate with you.

You will eventually drift, and you will eventually make it back to shore and into His loving arms. And when you do, having been purified and renewed, your knots smoothed and heart supple, you’re prepared to anchor a foundation for another drifter in similar circumstances. And your former life is a thing of the past.

Lord, I have drifted away. These are lessons that I know, but les­sons I have not truly learned. Search my heart and cleanse it. Show me a better way—so that I may help someone else who is struggling in the same way. Thank you for this opportunity to grow, Lord—let me not lose heart that You are in this, so I need not fear what I may be facing.

LETTING GO

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

-Hebrews 8:12 NIV

There’s that moment. You know the moment: you’re flat on your back, eyes closed, the warm sand conforming to your body . . . and you feel it, the release. It may take a few minutes, it may take a few days, but it will eventually come.

When it happens, you’re not aware of anything or anyone else around you. The collective sighs of waves and breeze invite you to synchronize, and you ac­cept. Eventually, you open your eyes, and their unfocused gaze absorbs the expanse that blankets your being—the sky, the horizon, the vastness of it all—without any interference.

We can liken this same open expanse to the true freedom we have by way of con­fessed sin—and how much greater is God’s love for us. Taking our sins as far away as possible, He forgives, forgets, and washes us clean. We don’t have this ability, but we can reap its eternal benefits.

So when that moment occurs, when all is released and you’re enveloped by the vast sky and infinite horizon, capture it in your mind and embed it in your heart. Think about how many miles your eyes and thoughts can travel, and meditate on the fact that God’s forgiveness reaches even farther, beyond anything we can imag­ine, and that His love is just as boundless. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Soon enough, you will return to chaotic mornings, pediatrician appointments, work stresses, nonstop interruptions, and you’ll be at the brink of imploding—but wait. Whether you’re waiting in line at the grocer or sitting in the parking lot at your child’s school, take a few moments to recall. Go back to lying on that sand and letting go. Remember just how far He can remove your sin and just how vast, how unfettered, is His love.

Just like that first time on the beach, getting there may take longer at first, but eventually the release comes quicker. Release your sin; relinquish your burdensome guilt. And receive, without interference, His boundless love.

Father, thank You for allowing me the opportunity to confess sin after conviction and in prayer. And thank You that Your forgiveness is boundless. Lord, I have experienced only a portion of the breadth and depth of Your forgiveness, but enough to know that it frees my soul from death and nurtures my spirit during those times I have difficulty forgiving myself.

Dig your feet in the sand and let the water cool your toes as you escape into the beauty of God’s seaside creations, and hear His voice more clearly than perhaps anywhere else.

There’s nothing quite like the warmth and relaxation of the beach—away from the stresses of the world and into a place of peace and refreshment. Devotions for the Beach is the gentle breeze that takes you there, to see the majesty of God and to open your heart and soul to the One who created it all. These ninety devotions explore the parallels of life with the elements of the shore to help you see God, to find hope, to draw strength, and to rest in the comfort of His arms throughout your day. Included are striking photographs with a fresh, contemporary design for timeless appeal.

Every woman will want a copy of this book as a gentle reminder of days at the beach and the call of God’s love.

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