...by the beach

it feels like the beach...
well at least the beach days I love to remember
seventy glorious degrees

cool and clear and sunny...
and blue

I love this beachy feeling

and I recall this past week's gospel of Matthew
and realize that Jesus liked to spend time at the beach
too....

He actually dwelt there.

At the beginning of His ministry...
right after His baptism and temptation in the wilderness...

"He left Nazareth, and came and DWELT
in Capernaum,
which is by the sea...."
        Matthew 4:13

"And WALKING BY THE SEA of Galilee He saw Simon,
             called Peter, and Andrew his brother
             He said to them "Follow Me,
                  and I will make you fishers of men."
                                        Matthew 4:18

and after the sermon on the mount...
and the giving of the Beatitudes
and the Lord's Prayer
and the healing of a leper
and the Centurian's servant's healing
and Peter's mother-in-law's healing

they departed to the other side....
and suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea
and He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea
and there was a great calm
and they marveled saying
              "Who can this be, that even the winds
                and the sea obey Him?"
                      Matthew 8:18, 26-27

and after curing the Gergesenes possessed men
by casting the demons into a herd of swine
who then cast themselves into the sea

"He got into a boat, crossed over
and came
to His own city."

Yet another reason to be like Jesus...to dwell by the sea?!?!?

imagine Him walking along
in the surf
beginning his day in prayer
contemplating
and coming upon the brothers...
and asking them to join Him....

imagine sitting at His feet
as He imparts the great treasures
of the 'Beatitudes' and 'The Our Father'
                let alone my favorites....
                     'consider the lilies' and 'foxes have dens'

imagine not being able to be out enjoying the sun
let alone out in public
because of the dreaded leprosy
imagine just asking ....and being made 'clean'
imagine the dancing and twirling in the sand that day

imagine Peter taking Jesus back to his place
with the promise of a nice home cooked meal
'al fresco'
after all this busy-ness
and the mother-in-law,
whose cooking he's been talking up for days...
is in 'the bed'...
but with just a touch of His sun soaked hand on hers
her fever leaves her
and she is up and about
and in no time at all
has the makings of a wonderful
catch of the day meal
set before them to enjoy as they watch the sun disappear
and the evening come

and just when the day begins to cool
and they begin to nod off
warm with the buzz of the wonders they have seen...
crowds begin to form, multitudes come
and so they sail away into the night

into a storm

that challenges their warm and fuzzy faith

but leaves them marveling
and glorifying God
on the other side

            "Call upon Me
                  in the day of trouble;
             I will deliver you,
                  and you shall glorify Me."
                                     Psalm 50:15

and that is today...
after yesterday, and last week, and last month,
and over the years
when our hearts were torn to pieces
again
and again
with suffering
and questions
must there be pain?

He comes
into my beachtime memories
and shows me...
His awesome and wonderous self

His footprints in the sand....