God never stops. God never stops working, never stops drawing us in and most importantly, He never stops loving us.
As I wake, I can already hear the waves crashing against the cool sandy beach. I slip out of bed, grab a cup of coffee and make my way to the balcony hoping to catch the early morning sunrise. The air is cool and crisp, yet oddly warm for October. I settle into my seat to take in the vastness of the ocean. The sea always reminds me of the ebb and flow of God, of life and of me.
There’s a Celtic poem by St. Aidan of Lindisfarne that reads;
"Leave me alone with God as much as may be. As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore, Make me an island, set apart, alone with you, God, holy to you. Then with the turning of the tide prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond, the world that rushes in on me till the waters come again and fold me back to you."
Like the waves of the ocean, God never stops.
Sometimes I just need to sit in the presence of God. To bask in His awesomeness and to look out into the sea and remember. God never stops. God is everlasting and His love for us never ends.
Isaiah 40:28 NIV says;
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
As I sat there on that balcony, I forgot about the coming sunrise and all the things I needed to do before we left for home. I forgot about all my worries that seem to come with this old world. Somehow, while I sat there, God folded me into His love. I remembered all the things that mattered and forgot all the things that didn’t.
Psalm 145 NIV says;
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds…
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made…
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
On that balcony that morning, I was waiting for first light but found God instead. God in all of His enormity. God in all of His great love for me, crashing in on me like a wave from the ocean. In that moment, all I could do was soak it all in and send it back out in praise.
Sometimes I have to look for these moments. Seek them out, make time for them, be intentional. Draw into God, just hoping to experience God in some profound way. Not this time though. I just came to see the sunrise. God found me. God sought me out. Maybe He had been chasing me, but I never stopped long enough to notice. Regardless, God never stops.
Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I like the idea of God chasing after me. It reminds me how important it is to stop and let God’s love fold over me.
When was the last time God overwhelmed you with His amazing love? When was the last time you stopped and sat in the presence of God?
We have to be intentional. Take time to sit in creation. Walk in nature and notice the sky, the birds, the trees. Do something fun and playful. Watch a child chasing a dog. Or a bird perched upon a power line. Pay attention. Recognize that God never stops chasing after us and His love for us never ends.
Let us pray:
God of all creation, thank you that You never stop. Thank you that your love never ends. Thank you that you are always waiting on us. Help us to slow down and enjoy your creation and this life. Teach us how to stop and bask in your presence. In Jesus Name, Amen. -M
Take the time to click the YouTube below. Make it your praise song and don’t be surprised if you experience God through song. God is waiting on you.
(If you can’t see YouTube, open this message in your browser.)
P.s. – Leave me a comment below because I want to hear how you have experienced God this week.
