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I must
admit, it was nice to spend some time away from Mount
Zion and Tucson with a recent trip to San Diego.
I went with my son Tony and I was able to spend
time with him and my sister and her husband.
I also saw my mom and her husband on several
occasions. We
caught a Padre’s game, got in a car accident,
(Everyone was OK and my car is now in the shop.)
and we spent quite a bit of time roaming the
beach areas. All
in all, it was a good time of rest and relaxation.
While in
San Diego, I was able to spend time at several beaches.
Many memories of youth, family and friends washed
over me. I can sit at a beach and do nothing but watch the ocean for
hours. For
me, the ocean is a source of renewal.
There are many places and many relationships in
our lives that through the power of God have become
instruments of renewal.
Our soul, our spirit, our mind while in the
presence or company of such instruments,
come to find the core of who we are being placed
back onto a path of life that leads us to wholeness and
well being. It’s
these God given instruments of renewal that reveal to us
that we have strayed, that we do need renewal and in
that fact alone, through them, we begin to find that we
are being restored back upon a Godly path
The
ocean is one of God’s instruments of renewal for me
because I spent so much time in the ocean.
I have learned many lessons of life from spending
time in and with the ocean.
I spent my formative years swimming, fishing,
riding its waves, getting knocked around by its waves,
washed in, dragged out and being held under by the power
and majesty of the ocean.
I have come to learn that I have no control over
the ocean and when I step into it, I must give myself
over to its ways and learn to act within its presence in
such a way, that I can enjoy this awesome gift of
God’s creation. To
sit by the ocean, and step into its realm is a very
humbling experience for me.
Sitting
at the ocean reminds me of how insignificant I really am
in the scope of the powers that be.
To recently spend time at the ocean was a vivid
conviction that I had lost this most valuable
perspective of life.
To walk in humbleness with and in our Lord is the
most rewarding and beneficial way to journey in life.
When we stray from this truth, things tend to not
go so well. May those humbling sources in your life be
ever so effective and accepted.
For
many, myself included, Scripture is a great Word of God
to enter into and come to be humbled in its presence.
I have spend quite a bit of time in and with the
company of scripture.
Recently, I was humbled through the psalmist who
writes:
He [God] does not deal with us according
to our sins
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the
earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward
those who
fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from
us.
(Psalm 103:10-12 NRSV)
Talk
about humbling? How
great is our God!!!
In
Christ’s love and service, Pastor
Dan
Contact Pastor Dan at:
pastor@mtzionelca.com
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