Go Get Right By The Ocean

On the first day of our cruise, Joan, Paula, and I stood out on my balcony. The breeze was magnificent and the fragrance of the fresh sea air was invigorating. We just stood there silently until Paula spoke. ”I love the ocean because it ‘rights’ me.” She captured just how I felt with those simple words.

The ocean does seem to put us in our right place. It reminded me of what David wrote, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers; the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3, 4)

Truly, who are we in the vast scheme and size of creation? We are so, so, small. I think we all should feel our smallness every now and then. It puts our size and significance in perspective.

Standing on a balcony overlooking something as big and unsearchable as the Atlantic Ocean can recalibrate your soul. It can slip all the gears of your thinking into place. You realize your insignificance yet somehow, it also reinforces your importance. God is mindful of us. Amazing.

So, again, right before bedtime, I stood out on that same balcony alone. I pondered Paula’s words again and asked the question David asked; “what is man?” I mean, compared to this majesty, it is astounding that God considers us at all.

“It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself.” John Piper
 

The prophet Isaiah had a settled confidence because he knew his significance to God. He knew who he was in relation to God and His universe.

“Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.” Isaiah 49:1

So, I stood on the balcony and pulled an Isaiah. ”Hey you, island! Before you became a clod of land out there, God knew me! He knew my name. Hey you, distant shore, I may feel awfully small out here on the middle of the ocean in this big boat on this big body of water, but, God knows my name. He knows me, not just about me. He knows where I am, how I feel, and how much I need Him.”

Maybe you need to stand beside something big today. Do you need to see how small you are? Recognizing your true size can affirm your great significance to God.

So friend, let me encourage you to go get “right” by the ocean.

Question: What “big” problem do you need to put into a “right” perspective today?

This article provided by Jennifer Rothschild.