There is something beautiful about walking along the beach barefoot. The feeling of sand in between your toes, the sounds of the waves crashing along the shore, and the warmth of the sunshine on your shoulder are all so overwhelming. It is a constant reminder to me of our Heavenly Fathers love for us.
Being barefoot on the beach is a symbol of our vulnerability. We are in a place where all of our senses and nerves are exposed. It is in this place that we are able to feel the softness that this world has to offer, but also in this place that pain can occur too. Have you ever walked on the rocky path that leads to the beach? Once you place your toes to the sand your immediate response is “Ah, so soft.” But on the other hand, have you ever been so excited to get to the warm beach and throw off your flip-flops to find that the warm sun has toasted the sand? In that moment you do a little dance until you can cover your exposed feet or put down a towel. Oh how our life is like that, sometimes the comfort and sometimes the uncomfortable. It is in that very place of our vulnerability that God is able to work and mold our lives.
As the waves crash along the shore, so does God’s love crash on us. I always enjoy walking along the beach looking at the things that wash up. I am always amazed when I find a piece of glass after it has spent time in the oceans tide. It is no longer flat and sharp but instead it is smooth and rounded. So becomes our hearts in God’s refining tide of His love.
There is nothing like the warmth from the sun. It uplifts, it comforts, and it leaves your skin with a healthy glow. Our Father is just the same. Growing up in a sunny place, I guess I always took for granted the sunshine, but after living in a place where the sun hardly would shine, I realized how much I need that warmth. I would crave just a few minutes of sunshine, just anything that would lift my spirit. The warmth of the Father is the same. When you are lacking that communion with Him, your spirit craves that peace and comfort that only He can give.
When coming to the presence of God come to Him vulnerable, let the waves of His love crash over you and let His love warm your soul.
