He said, “Peace, be still!”
And the winds and waves were calmed by His hand.
I found a sand dollar on the beach last week. It wasn't the usual bleached-white color we're used to seeing. Instead, it was greenish brown, and not very attractive in its natural state. Upon turning it over, I saw that it was still alive, as its tentacles shifted back and forth like the tides from which it arrived. Worried that it would die there if left exposed to the hot Florida sun, I gently returned it to the sea. As I watched it peacefully float away, seemingly undisturbed by its "near-death" experience, I contemplated the smallness of this creature, and the vastness of the ocean. It was just one of countless shells that daily washed ashore, and clearly no match for the strong tides that deposited it on the blistering hot sand. But, because of its patience, and possibly even its faith, it was rewarded a another chance to live. We, too must learn to await the hand of God through life's storms. The Lord said, “Take courage, do not fear; it is I.”
The following is a poem ("The Seashell") I wrote for a friend who celebrated a birthday this past week. So diverse are the shells, and like people, each one uniquely designed by our Creator.
I’ve always thought the seashell is like a metaphor,
And every different sandy shell that washed upon the shore,
Contained a secret chamber known only to the tide,
That holds a life that’s quite unique, living there inside!
