Day 27

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"

Matthew 3:16-17


Today, I enjoyed my status as part of God's creation. God created the world for humans to enjoy, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed my day at the beach.

Although we went to the beach to have fun and for Kat to get to experience the Jersey Shore, I spent some time floating along and reflecting on the awesomeness of God's creation. I can't even come up with a poem to describe what creation is like, yet God made it all. I can't comprehend calling the world into being--and such a fascinating world it is.

The ocean is such a beautiful sight. Even in the places where it seems calm, there is life teeming throughout it. We were reminded of this when seaweed caught around our ankles, when the teeny jellyfish stung us, and as the seagulls flew around looking for a meal.

Then there are the currents and tides. Throughout the world, warm and cool water currents are constantly moving in the ocean. They affect our lives, and the livelihood of the fish. And from my vantage point, I could see and feel towering waves, little waves, warm and cool pockets of sand and water, as well as much more. Then there was the undertow; I got knocked down by a couple of waves, but it was the pullback that scared me the most. Even a strong swimmer like me can succumb to the power of the ocean.

As I swam farther out, I remembered just how big the ocean is. The amount of water, power, and life contained within it is too much for me to fathom. And that's just one part of our world. How much bigger, more complicated, and amazing is the God who created it?

From our vantage point, we could see New York City. I was instantly brought back into the "regular" world, a world of traffic, lots of people, money, food, and waste. We have made some impressive things-- I think the only way to see the whole NYC skyline is from that distance. What an accomplishment. Then there was the trash...oh so much trash floated around us as we swam today. I was suddenly reminded of how humanity has and is destroying God's beautiful earth. God spent all that time creating the world for us to live in, and we've spent most of our time here making it an uglier place. What a shame.

I am sure there is much more to say about God's creation and the ocean, but these were just some of the thoughts I had today. Jesus certainly knew about the many parts of creation, admiring them and recognizing their beauty and power. He also cared for them, as I try to do every day.