Waves

I’m standing on the point adjacent to the causeway to St Mary’s Island at Whitley Bay. A gale from the South East is whipping up the North Sea into a wild mixture of waves and breakers, liberally spattered with surf, bubbles and spray. The foreshore is mainly rocky and shallow approaching the causeway, and the wind-blown waves morph into breakers, long and white, that rush up and over the more prominent rocks, eventually reaching the shore, there to vomit their watery contents over the rocks and sand, expending the energy of the wind-blown maelstrom into a final attempt to reach dry land. Momentarily the surf and bubble-topped, green-tinted water pauses, as though at a loss to know what to do next, before slowly returning to re-join the next wave coming in. Who could have thought that a molecule formed by two gases (hydrogen and oxygen) and combined with countless more, could present such a scene. But our God created it – we can wonder but not be surprised. Our Creator is the all-powerful Master Designer, Chemist and Engineer.

In Mark 4, we read that Jesus rebuked the wind and commanded the waves to be quiet. As I look out over the North Sea, absolute mayhem is taking place. As far as I can see there are waves, spray, breakers, all uniting in a mighty demonstration of stormy power. And yet, our Creator God can bring peace to the chaos by speaking a word. The storms of life can wear us down, as the waves have worn and polished the rocks around St Mary’s Island. So what problems am I hanging onto, feeling chaos and pain, when I have a God who can bring peace to my soul with a word? Hmmm…