I was recently at the beach........ahhh........I would love to be there again. I just love sitting under an umbrella with a good book with my toes in the sand, and the waves crashing in the background. Anyway, at this particular place, as you walk into the ocean, it was so warm and nice....but it gradually got deeper. If you kept going, you eventually would reach a sandbar that once again would put your feet firmly on the ocean floor.
I must admit, it was a little scary to keep walking out into the deeper water, with the waves coming on strong, and get to the point to where you could not reach bottom. You had to do some actual swimming, and watch those waves closely, or you were going under! But, if you kept going, you would reach the sandbar, and could relax. There you are, out in the middle of the ocean! You can still see the beach, but you are far enough away as to not hear all the commotion of people playing, talking, radios booming....all you hear are the waves and the wind.
I began to watch a certain group of people near us. All of them were enjoying the sandbar, except one. He was disgruntled at the others. You see, he wouldn't chance going into the deeper water to get to the sandbar. He would watch the others having fun....and would be angry...because they were having fun. I felt sorry for him in one way...but wanted to tell him...oh come on.....you can take the chance....go to the sandbar!!
It reminded me of Jonah. He knew God was going to forgive Ninevah. Jonah didn't like them, and knew if he obeyed God, God would forgive....and he didn't want that. You all know the story....he ran.....God definitely got his attention....and then he obeyed, and the people of Ninevah were forgiven! After all Jonah had gone through...after all Jonah had been a witness to...and had a hand in...why in the world did he then go and pout? He was angry....God, well, had been God...and forgiven Ninevah....and Jonah didn't like it.
God even loved ole Jonah enough to grow a gourd so that Jonah would have shade while he pouted....still didn't help his attitude, did it? Jonah had more compassion over the death of that gourd then the souls in Ninevah.........what a miserable small minded world Jonah lived in. I'm sure Jonah had his good moments.........and God still used him.........but that didn't mean Jonah had a right attitude.
This guy at the beach was working hard to stay afloat in the deeper water, waves crashing over his head...getting out of breath...meanwhile his friends were enjoying life at the sandbar. I envisioned the ocean as the world....we all live in it....we were all in the water...waves were hitting all of us. Most of us chose to enjoy the sandbar....where we didn't have to work hard, we could relax more, and see more. Yes, the waves came in...but they were more manageable. Meanwhile, that one guy, while he was in the same water as us, was miserable.
Sometimes we wear ourselves out in life........and it may not be in sin...it may be while doing God's work. We are so stubborn and prideful, that we hold on and cater to our anger, that we can't enjoy our lives. We want things to go like we want them to...instead of truly trusting and following God. We stop looking through God's eyes....with a Godly heart. We would rather burn all of our energy in the deeper water, rather than swimming on out to the sandbar and letting God truly bless us.
One of my favorite quotes is, 'Your attitude determines your altitude with God.' We may be 'in God's will' to a certain point...and doing God's work, too. But if we really look closer....could God really be doing so much more, if we got our own selves out of the way? We can know all about God, and we can quote His Word all day, but that doesn't mean we are fully obeying Him.
As I kept watching this young man, I could see his heart harden. Well...dadgum it...if his friends weren't going to join him in the deeper water, then..poo on them! He turned his back and raised his nose and tried to prove he was having the better time. It was so sad, it was almost laughable! If he had just softened his heart....admitted what was really going on...maybe he was a little scared...maybe he didn't like swimming alone....whatever the reason....if he had just had the faith to swim on.....or humble enough to ask a friend to help him...then he could have enjoyed the sandbar too!
He can go back home and tell everyone he enjoyed the ocean...and I know he did to a certain point...but he could've had a much better time if he had only gotten to the sandbar. Please, Lord....don't let me be that way....I don't want to let my stubborn nature, my opinion, my pride prevent me from enjoying the life you truly intended me to have. I do not want You to have to grow a gourd to give me shade while I sit in my pride...my opinions...my 'self'....and stew! I want to enjoy the sandbars of my life....I want to enjoy my family and friends...and everyone you place in my life to the fullest extend that you intended for me! Not my will, oh Father...but yours! Thank you for my contrite heart, thank you for my humble spirit...may I NEVER fail to love!
