Mark Sorensen 
On a cold day in February, allow me to reflect back to summer, sand, and the ocean:)
It was our first day to hit the beach on a summer vacation our family took several years ago. As we pulled up to our favorite sands in Pensacola, FL, we noticed the giant red flag waving on the shore ready to greet us. Different colored flags alert swimmers to different surf and wave conditions. The red flag shadowed strong currents, big waves, and “enter water with caution”. So, we throw down our towels, set up camp, and I run out into the ocean alongside my son with little hesitation to throw the football while my wife and daughter stayed behind soaking up some sun.
We hadn’t been out in the water for more than thirty minutes when my son looked at me and asked, “Hey, where’s mom?” We both looked at the beach and, to our surprise, not only was my wife and daughter not on the beach, but our stuff and everything else we brought was gone as well. Like, everything. It was a bizarre moment.
Then, I saw them. They were still there. Just not where we thought. In our playing in the ocean, the current had pulled my son and I at least three hundred yards down the beach. We had no idea. It was subtle, it was powerful, and we clearly ended up a LONG way from where we anticipated.
Today’s Lenten reflection:
“11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 8:11-18)
In this passage from Deuteronomy, God is reminding His chosen people to stay close to the shores of His commands, His provision, and His love. It was a subtle reminder that if they drift from His laws, they may lose sight of the very one who has carried them from captivity to freedom.
It’s a good thing that this was then and not relevant today, right?
(awkward pause)
Here’s what we know. We were created in the image of our Heavenly Father. He loved us with such passion and persistence that He stepped into a broken and fractured world, put on the flesh of mankind, He lived, died, overcame death through resurrection, and now, through the blood shed for us all on the cross, we have access to the One who is worthy of our praise and adoration.
Amazing when you think about what God has done for us all, right?
It’s easy to get caught in the current of our stuff, accomplishments, busyness, and kingdoms. It’s never too late to take a quick assessment of where we are and where God is in our lives. Take a look at the shore. God’s very much there. It may take a little walking to get back. The good news? God’s patient. He’ll guide you.
