Fire On The Beach!

Romans 8:24-25 ²⁴For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Each evening when we were at the shore, we watched as the earth got tired and closed her eyes to the day.  The sunset constantly changed colors.  I knew I was watching a Master Artist as He splashed orange and terracotta, and burnt sienna against the azure sky.  The yellow ball we call the sun in the day, turned into a fiery indescribable shape as it slowly dropped down out of sight.  A small sliver of red remained reminding us, sun was gone, but not for long!

People were still gathered on the beach, but now they drew closer to each other.  Soon I could see fire pits beginning to pop up as the people were gathered in semi-circles.  I felt like I was watching the end of the day at a camp-ground.  I could almost hear, “Kumbaya My Lord’ as they asked the Lord to ‘come near me’ and the day turned into night

Other fires popped up on the shore and long after I could not see people any longer, I saw flames!  It was a truly inspiring sight as the fire pit flames lit the shore and the unseen waves continued to roar and then slap down on the sand.  Each slap drawing a layer of sand out into the water, until the next wave returned it to the shore.  I watched and a deep appreciation began to well up in my soul.  Listening, but not seeing those waves continue over and over again somehow gave me hope!  You see, that continuing roar, slap, whoosh of those waves I could not see reminded me that everything God has promised to us after we die-is also unseen.  Yet, we believe.  Why?  Because we see the proof of His integrity in this continuing earth.  We hear it in the next generation, a babies’ cry.  We see a beautiful future in a graduate ‘turning a tassel.’   We share the joy of a man and woman at the altar, so innocent, yet hopeful for a bright beginning together.  Years later we watch them as they cling to each other after their child died.  We watch as an elderly couple still smile at each other giving a morning kiss. At the grave site he reluctantly tosses a rose on her grave, her favorite flower.  He promises he will be with her soon.

In all of our life the constant of nature reminds us, we are not alone.  Whatever happens to us, the sun will set one day and rise the next.  The ocean will roar, whether we see it or not.  And, there will still be campfires on the beach with a gentle request; ‘come near me Lord, come near me.”