I looked out a wide window on my first morning at the beach today. No sun, but the Gulf waters brought in a steady flow of gentle waves. I stood there mesmerized as the waters continued their constant rhythm.

My mind moved on to the greater oceans that God sees from his vantage point. Constant flow. Massive waters.

A lone beach walker drew my attention from my 15th floor perch. He looked so tiny, but I could see his two legs and two arms swinging. How tiny we specks of humanity must seem in our Lord’s eyes. We are so many.

And yet . . . though we all have two feet, arms, eyes, and ears, one nose and one mouth, we all look different, unique, recognizable. How God loves us as individuals, giving us a plethora of combinations of talents and temperments, of backgrounds and relationships.

We are so many, and yet he loves each of us, knows each of us by name. Yet he puts us in charge of opening our hearts to him to believe. Then he puts us in charge of sharing that love with another unbeliever.

I serve a powerful God, an amazing creator, a loving father, a patient supporter, the lover of my soul.

I’ve had several blogs these last months on disciplines of the faith. What was I to do with the subject of “Meditation” this month? It’s so similar to prayer and solitude. But this morning when I gazed out the window, the Lord held me there long enough to have all those thoughts. I think I would call that meditation.

Like many of the other disciplines of the Spirit, they take time and quietness. Many of us are so busy running from one thing to the next on our schedules that it’s hard to add one more thing.

The thing is, one of God’s best times to speak into our lives is when we are quiet, pulled away from the routine, settled.

David was a busy man; fighting the likes of Goliath, running from jealous King Saul, rounding up not-so-great fighters to help him in battles against Saul, then leading  a nation as king, conquering territory, undoing his sinful adventures, and preparing the plans for a Temple.

However, in the Psalms, you hear David’s heart as he pours himself out in his prayers, much like he must have done in those early days as a young shepherd on the hills of Bethlehem. He knew the joy and strength found in quiet times with the Lord.

I conclude with a favorite verse from David himself.

 “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

~ Joyce ~