Sea-ing Is Believing
Hi Faith Family,
After an amazing reception at Appleton—our brothers and sisters in the faith at St. Peter Church and School and also the Core—I was off to Daytona Beach for the Coaching Network. It was so much great stuff all wrapped in so few days!
There were many highlights to this trip: The opportunity to meet so many of God’s people in Appleton, a great time with the kids at St. Peter school, the choir that sang, our awesome time at the Core, plus the myriad of bacon snacks!
In my introduction to the coaching network, I received some amazing and powerful presentations from spiritual men, great discussions and mutual encouragement.
As if that weren’t enough, the scenery wasn’t too bad either! The pictures on this page are from our host’s condo overlooking Daytona Beach. Not bad, right? Definitely not suffering.
However, last night was quite a storm! It poured rain and the wind was incredibly strong near the beach. The lightning struck every few seconds. What might we make of this event? A storm moving through? Of course. A hope for better weather our last night walking the beach? Sure. But we can see something much more significant in what happened, as Job did:
“How great is God—
beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
"He draws up the drops of water,
which distill as rain to the streams;
the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers fall on mankind.
Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?
See how he scatters his lightning about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.”
I love this insight, whenever we have an opportunity to marvel at an amazing sight in nature. Why not make it spiritual? Why not keep it spiritual? When viewing a gorgeous sunset or tremendous cloud formations; when seeing the gorgeous fall colors or the Sawtooth mountain range; deer bounding through the trees to the countless stars in the night sky, we can come to Job’s conclusion: “How great is God!” We understand Job’s point—how big, tremendous and amazing is the God who has the power to create such a world with all forms of weather systems necessary to keep this world watered and healthy.
Yet we can come to this conclusion “How great is God” in every sense—isn’t God so awesome and loving to create this world so beautifully for our enjoyment—the tremendous colors of sunrise are like a marquee for God’s glorious greatness. Double rainbows arch into the sky to announce that God always keeps his promises, and is truly great. Our taking the gifts of creation for granted is all too common; all too easy; and all too a reminder of the sinful condition in which we were born. I think that is why I have a special connection to one specific part of God’s creation.
I personally especially love the ocean—I see the immense and intense creation of God, separating water from water, and am enthralled by it. I especially appreciate the Vietnamese song “Tinh Chua Bao La,” likening the life-giving depth of God’s love to the boundless reach of the sea. But most of all, I love God’s own commentary and illustration using the ocean from Micah’s prophecy:
“You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (chapter 7)
God kept this and every promise. God has had compassion on you—a love for you that went out to you personally and sought you out. God found a way to connect you with his love for the world displayed in his Son Jesus giving his entire life for you. Each day, Christ lived for you, never once making a mistake. This perfection is credited to your account through faith in him. And after his days of crossing the sea of Galilee were past, he displayed for the world to see his sacrificial suffering at the hands of evil men for your sins. His parched mouth called for one last drink and called out his victory cry, “It is finished!" Assuring you that you are forgiven and a prized child of the God who made this world, from sea to shining sea. He redeemed this world, and continues to send his Word from the shores of Little Lake in Appleton, to the water’s edge at Lucky Peak Reservoir, to the sandy beach at Nha Trang, Vietnam. Whatever the weather is like where you are right now, I hope you can see the powerful creative hands behind it and join in Job’s thought, “How great is God!”
Prayer idea: Praise God for sending the Savior for your sin. Ask God to develop true humility as you prepare your heart for a new day of service to your Lord. Pray for those who are dealing with sadness or emotional/physical hurt. Ask God for an opportunity to share a word of encouragement with someone this week.
Have a blessed week!
--Pastor Dan