Encouragement
I was nearly as excited as the kids. We had finally found the time to get away. More than just one night, anyway. We took the time some months ago to go pick the perfect camp site and now were enjoying it. One of the events we’d planned was to visit Sand Dollar Beach. That wasn’t the official name, of course. We had dubbed the name because…Well we always found sand dollars there.
We got up and moved about the campsite, discussing what the day ahead held for us. I know I’m in my forties now, but the thrill of hunting for the sand dollars was just like hunting for Easter eggs. I guess it’s the challenge and the thrill of success that drives me. Most adults can relate. Most…
In the car and headed out. Seaside Beach was the real name of our destination. If you walked out to the surf and headed south for about a half a mile, you come to Ten Mile River. So named because it’s ten miles from there to Fort Bragg. All beautiful beach. At the corner of Seaside Beach and Ten Mile River is where Sand Dollar Beach is.
The beach is kind of out of sight. As you approach, it is hidden by several very large rocks. You weave through these rocks and there it is. Or was… It was gone. Literally, gone. A serious storm or shift in the current had washed the entire beach away. The waves lapped nearly to the overlooking bluffs with almost no beach or sand to be seen. My heart sank. The beach would probably return, but how long? The edge of the shore line curved back from the large rocks towards the bluffs and slowly swung toward the rivers edge. All the sand dollars completely out of sight.
Despite my disappointment, a dramatic thought occurred to me. The things of this world may seem to be long term, but they’re not. Now, I live in the mountains and not so far from where I am, there grow the tallest trees in the world, the mighty redwoods. In my life, I will see little or no change in them. I know of one a little north of here called the Grandfather tree. The name is a reflection of all the trees this one tree has started. It is a massive tribute to the engineering abilities of God. And it doesn’t even compare to the Hyperion Redwood in the National forest, reigning at over 378 feet tall! That’s more than thirty-one stories!
The world will always be moving on. Always changing, even if we cannot see it. We look at stars that have long ago burned out. Went supernova long before we were born, but we still see them today because they are so far from us that the fact that they are gone hasn’t even registered on our cosmic scale of understanding. But no matter if it seems to not change, because of distance or age or whatever, it is changing.
There is an exception to the rule. God. Now, knowing that everything does change from time to time, wouldn’t it be a nightmare if God did the same? Some might say “No. That would make things easier.” Not really. You see, if He was subject to change, then what would happen when He changed His mind about us? That would get ugly really fast. “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” (Malachi 3:6, NKJV). Literally said, “I am the Lord. My mind doesn’t change. If it did, I would have wiped you out a long time ago.” I know sometimes the directions that God lays out are tough. Especially in this day and age. But they have never changed. They’ve always been the same and so is this Loving God. Just think, you can never compare gas prices to God… Mmmm.
M.R.Davenport, 2008
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This is excellent. I LOVE your message and the delivery of it, and your examples. The title isn't my favorite, but it's cute. You totally blessed me this morning.
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