Fingertips in the Sand

Last night at around 12:30 in the morning I felt the need to go out for a walk. I needed to clear my head, or pray, or worship, or I don't know. I just needed to go for a walk. I grabbed my sweater and sandals and went outside. Hearing the waves, I walked down to the beach. I stood there on the shore for a while and talked to God, and to myself. "Praise You in this Storm" popped into my head so I worshipped for a few minutes with only the waves and stars as an audience. When I stopped singing they didn't request an encore, so I walked a little further down the beach.

After walking a couple hundred yards I stopped, knelt down, and wrote, "God, Help me." You see, I've been faking it these past few days. On the outside, I'm optimistic about my situation. This is God's calling, so He will provide for me like He has provided for countless others in the Bible and among my friends. Yet on the inside, I'm becoming cynical and jaded.

"Times are tough," "money is tight," or so people keep telling me. Times aren't that tough. It's not like anyone is like the widow in 1 Kings 17:12. "So she said, 'As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.' " I love that whole story in chapter 17.

Anyways, I'm becoming emotionally overwhelmed by my situation. Hope only fades, it never grows brighter. So I knelt down and wrote "God, Help me." in the sand, and just stared at it for a while...

I got up and walked a little further down the beach, but I stopped when I saw something else written in the sand. It was upside down from my perspective, so I walked around to the other side. There in big letters was "I heart U," with the word heart replaced by an actual heart. Someone must have been out with their girlfriend or boyfriend and felt the need to express their love, and yet they didn't write, "Tommy loves Jessica," just "I heart U."

Take a minute and put yourself in my shoes. What goes through your head if you were to write, "God, Help me" only to find "I heart U" less than a minute later? The thing that's in my head is that God still loves me.

Thank you Lord for this reminder of Your love. Help me to prioritize You above Your gifts. Help me to be content to serve You wherever I am. If you want me to stay in Carpinteria for a while longer, then open my eyes to the things You want to accomplish in and around me while I'm here.

Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw

"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

[Chorus x2]