Casandra Martin

The waves crashed into the beach, creating a thunderous symphony of sound and power. The white foam glistened in the light from the shore. The sand shimmered as the blanket of night enfolded the beach in its embrace. In the place where sea and land meet, the sound of the collision created its own special music, both terrible and beautiful.

We walked down a lonely pier that stretched far into the waters of the ocean. Moving away from the shore, the sound of the waves hitting the sand faded as we journeyed further across the waters of the sea. Things appeared calmer. The noises of the beach became muffled. The lights from the shore grew dimmer. The fierceness of the crashing waves settled into the melodic rhythm of ocean swells dancing beneath us. The immensity of the ocean became very real as we looked into depths of inky water under a starless sky.

In that moment, the words of the psalmist rang across the waters.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” – Psalm 8:3-4

The depths of the ocean, the majesty of the mountain, the warmth of the desert, and the quiet aliveness of the forest all call our hearts to God. Each one testifies to His immensity, His sovereignty, and His purpose. He wants us to see the ocean and measure it against the vastness of His love and grace. The mountains call our souls to rest in His unchanging power and faithfulness. The stark splendor of the desert reminds us of God’s ever-present nearness, and the truth that no matter how bleak our circumstances might seem there is beauty to be found in His presence. The life we see permeating the forest reminds our hearts to be rooted in His purpose and plan for our lives. The beauty of nature is just a frame for the magnificent artistry He wants to paint in our lives.

My Jesus Resolution today is to listen to the voice of the earth. Every rock, tree, flower, and bird has a lesson to teach me about God. The same One who created the moon and the oceans wants me to walk by His side. He chooses to invest His heart in me. He longs for my heart to yearn for Him. He gave Himself completely for me so that I can learn to give myself completely to Him. Look out your window today – what snapshot of His heart is He framing for you?