God's Love is Oceanic!

I spent the last week at the ocean, celebrating my 23rd wedding anniversary with Kristi.

I love the ocean! Water as far as I can see and merging into the sky at the horizon. Wave after wave in rhythm - they never stop coming ashore and sounding in my soul.

God's love is oceanic! It's everywhere. It's the rhythm of life. It's our source of life. It sings in our soul - if we let it.

I love to be still before the ocean and breathe in deep... To listen... To feel... To pray... To be immersed in God's love...

If you don't live near the ocean go to a lake or a river, a mountain or meadow. Open your soul to God and smile in the sanctuary of his Spirit.

May the Wind Lift Us

I hiked up into the foothills of Saddleback Mountain this weekend with a friend. From about 2,000 feet up we looked out over the green hills, orchards, and the city of Irvine stretching out till the ocean in the distance. As we stood quietly in prayer the breeze swayed the tall grasses and rustled through the shrub all around us...

I was meditating on how the Holy Spirit is like the wind: we can't see him, but we see his effects; he doesn't speak audibly (normally), but speaks through the objects he moves. To hear God's voice is like hearing the breeze: we need to be still and quiet for awhile.

Then we saw a gift from God: two great hawks with their wings outstretched, gliding effortlessly on the wind. Of course, we thought of Isaiah's words: "They that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

May the Lord help us to enter his peace, to "Be still and know that he is God" (Psalm 46:10).