What God Taught Me at the Beach
By Karen Friday
God has a way of speaking to me when I least expect to hear His voice.
Last week my family, minus my son, was on vacation at a beach in South Carolina. We concentrated on relaxation and desired to catch our breath from daily life.
An ocean front condo and grand view of the Atlantic Ocean welcomed us to town as if to say; “Well, hello Fridays. Good to see you. Enjoy.”
Four out of Five
I’m not referring to four out of five dentist recommend a toothpaste. I experienced four out of five of the human senses at the sea.
1. Hearing: Turns out you don’t have to hold a large seashell to your ear to hear the ocean. The sound of waves lullabied me to sleep at night and awoke me each morning. The real thing. I own a noise machine and have the idream App on my iphone as sleep-aid devices. Both produce sound waves of random noises such as white noise, waterfalls, and ocean waves. But I was privileged to a live performance of God’s handiwork. A concert of waves harmonically dancing in rhythm. God taught me that He is the real thing. He can’t be technically reproduced in a device or machine. Turns out, the sounds of God are all around me. In creation, people, and life. I am never on vacation from Him or His voice. I can hear Him speak to me anywhere and any time. I’m privileged to a live performance of His handiwork in my life.
2. Sight: My bedroom window captured first sight of the sea world. Every morning I peeped through curtains to see the magnificent display of God’s creation. Wait, it gets better. A balcony with a sliding 
glass door in the living room grabbed my eyes attention throughout the day. Whether I was inside or outside, on the balcony or beach, the sand and surf were there—large and in charge—for my viewing pleasure. God taught me that He wants to capture my first sight each day. To see Him. The magnificent display of God in my world through His Word, prayer, and relationship with Him. Jesus desires to grab my eyes attention throughout the day. He’s there—large and in charge—for my viewing pleasure.
3. Smell: Have you smelled it? The ocean has a unique aroma. It’s hard to find words to describe it, but I’ll try. Crisp. Freshness in the air. Salty—yes, you can smell salty. While it’s true that seaweed and dead sea creatures stink, there are pleasant smells. I could smell ocean air long before I set my eyes on it. My nose always knows. God taught me that I have a unique aroma. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV.) Others can smell the fragrance of Jesus in me long before they set eyes on me. In my words on the phone. In my penned words. In the way I conduct myself on social media.
4. Touch: As I walked out into the water, I came in contact with the tactile sensation of the sea, letting the waves hit no higher than my waist. My daughter and her husband rode the waves on a boogie board. However, I did not share their passion or want to catch waves. I watched and supported from the water’s edge. Some days the current was strong and forceful. We noticed a feeble, elderly man gingerly wade out into the water. Unsteady on his feet, he would lose his footing. Unsure if he would regain his stance, I grew concerned. A wave came along and knocked him off his feet. A bystander assisted as I wondered, “Is the lifeguard aware of the man’s delicate body and what could quickly turn disastrous?” God taught me that He is always with me as I wade into the water. He watches and supports. Some days the current is strong and forceful. I may be feeble and unsteady on my feet. But He is aware when I am delicate and lose my footing in life. When life knocks me off my feet, I will regain my stance because He is with me.
5. Taste: Tasting salty sea water can only be accomplished by venturing out deep and not keeping your mouth closed. In the past, I did taste the sea. This is not an activity that needs to be repeated and the reason I did not experience this sense at the ocean. God taught me to daily drink fresh water He provides. To come to Him thirsty for living water and offer it to my family; “Well, hello Fridays. Good to see you. Enjoy.”
© 2015 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Karen, I love the part about having a unique aroma!
Amy, thank you! Grateful to spread the aroma of Christ on life’s journey. Oh, that the “saved” and “perishing” smell it and see it! A fragrant offering to God. Many blessings! 🙂 🙂
I love the ocean. We live in the Midwest and getting to the ocean doesn’t happen often for us.
What you described took me back in time. Wonderful memories of seagulls crying and the waves crashing down on the beach in Crystal Beach, TX, and the beaches in Biloxi, Ms.
The way you wrote this was a timely reminder of how much He longs to spend time with me. I miss His daily Presence and sometimes feel like I’m searching so hard for Him, but He’s just beyond my reach. Doesn’t make sense, I know. Anyway, thank you so much for posting this! I needed this!
Enjoyed reading your comment. The beach and ocean are wonderful reminders of God’s glorious creation. We, too, are His creation, your words ring true in that He does want to spend time with you and me. How beautifully you describe missing the ocean and missing God’s presence. God’s presence fills a void we could never find anywhere else in the world. I believe others, including me, can or have related to feeling as if He is just beyond reach. While the ocean, places, things and even people are often beyond reach, God is within reach. In fact, Scripture describes not being in God’s presence as the absence of water and a dry land, which reminds me of not being at the ocean; “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allowed periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27).
Always great to chat with you here in this community. Hoping you can visit the ocean again one day and you will feel His presence, He also misses you.
This was beautiful words in describing every aspect of the beach. I Love The Beach! Thanks for sharing. Love You!
Thank you, Denise. Love for God’s creation ultimately points us to His love for us. I’m sure He meant it to be that way. He had you and me in mind when He spoke the ocean into being. Thanks for your comment. Miss and love you. 🙂 🙂
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