BY DAWN REED

Genesis tells the magnificent story of creation. “God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the gathered waters He called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good” (1:10). And it WAS. Looking at the ocean this week, “good” is a small word that describes an indescribably wonderful thing. It all takes my breath.

The sun has just come up again, as it did yesterday and a million times before, showing off glorious colors. It speaks to me of the faithfulness of God. (One of my mother’s favorite hymns was “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”) In Ecclesiastes 1:5, Solomon wrote: “The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.” That’s faithfulness; that’s dependability. The sun is my favorite part of being at the beach.

But then there’s the ocean. This morning as I watch the waves crashing on the shore, I am reminded of the greatness of God. The sound of the waves is almost hypnotic, a song I cannot put words to. Psalm 93:3 puts it this way: “The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice, the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.” Can you hear it in your mind? The Psalmist wrote, “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth…shout for joy before the LORD, the king. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 98:4-7). I love the roar of the ocean.