The ocean is still free. So I said to myself this past weekend while spending a few days on the shores of the Atlantic.
The ocean is still free. Free to roam. Free to breathe. Free to birth. Free to be.
Mankind has tried to control it, has sloppily put its fingerprints into it, but mankind has been unable to stop it. Freely the tide rolls in; freely it retracts. The ocean keeps a pace all its own, unwilling to cede ownership to anyone but its Creator. The ocean knows to Whom it belongs. The ocean remembers its beginning.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” –Genesis 1:1-2
Beginning days. God, darkness, and deep waters. Indeed, the ocean remembers its beginning. Do you remember yours?
” —the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. … But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” –Genesis 2:7, 20-25
Beginning days. God, dust, breath, man.
Beginning days. God, man, rib, woman.
Beginning days. God, man, woman, one flesh.
Life was simpler back then, in those beginning days. Life was perfect. Life was, as God meant for it to be.
But then, life changed. Less perfect. Less edenic. Confused and greatly burdened by sin’s curse. Somewhere between those beginning days and these days… our days, life got very messy and our remembrances of Eden mostly forgotten. And when Eden is forgotten—when beginning understanding and truth are traded in for modern day theory—then our nakedness no longer matters. We no longer notice it; instead, we’re hell-bent on exposing it… all in the name of personal freedom.
But this isn’t freedom, friends. This is bondage. This is being chained to our flesh, and this is when we find ourselves in grave danger of missing the great point of our lives—to surrender our flesh over to faith and back into the hands of the One who created it… in the beginning. To not allow our flesh to master us but, instead, to master our flesh through the blood-stained covering of Christ’s cross and through the transformational work of the Holy Spirit’s willing presence and power in our lives. This is freedom… God’s way. This is why the ocean is still free. The ocean is still willing to let God be in control.
The ocean is still free because the ocean has not forgotten its beginning. We would do well not to forget ours.
Peace for the journey,
Thanking God for freedom in Christ! The FREE gift of eternal salvation. All the while mourning the bondage of sin and death that binds and blinds so many around me.
wifeforthejoureny:
What a beautiful moment it was that came together for our family to witness there on the SC coast. I’m glad we could be together for the waters, the wedding, and witness of both life and creation – one day filled with so much of God’s presence.
May God’s grace continue to abound in us and in all our relationships. I am grateful for God’s hand in our life together.
Love you,
Billy
Just beautiful, Elaine. Freedom.
Nice post and love your new blog. Great work!
Love your new blog home! When I first saw the title of your post at your old blog, I thought “oh no! elaine’s moving again. What did I miss? ” lol
Thank you for once again sharing your heart. I’ve been reading your book again this week and am being blessed by it.
Love the phrase and the truth that the ocean is still free. Makes my spirit soar just thinking about it. And what an amazing image you captured of a couple beginning their lives together. A great reminder of the beauty and miracle of new union, of marriage. Absolutely beautiful.
That must be why I love the ocean so much, it makes me feel like its just me and God and whoever I am with. It is so vast, so untamable, so the way it all began. I miss those days……Lori
Very beautiful.
This post spoke volumes to me – but for very different reasons. God is always in the process of RESTROATION. He is restoring us back to the GARDEN which will come after the RAPTURE – after His coming again to reign – after the earth is renovated by fire [ as we have been renovated by the fires of afflictions] and then after heaven comes down to the new earth prepared in advance for us to dwell with the LORD our GOD – once again – in the GARDEN – as HE has ALWAYS planned!
And all the ‘pictures’ we see here – the ocean – the trees – the flowers – weddings and marriage are all just patterns for us to recognize the pure love of the Bridegroom for His Bride – as well as the love of our Father in Heaven who planned it all!
Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
Thank you, Elaine. I am blessed reading this post. And yes the new blog look is beautiful and inviting! Great look!! And a blessed Mother’s Day weekend to you. JESUS love to you and your family.
Beautiful, Elaine. I love when I go down and look at God’s beautiful Pacific Ocean. I love the power of it, the ceaseless waves that come onshore, the vastness, the timelessness – all speak of the mighty character of God.
HE is freedom – He guides our lives through the tides of life.
GOD BLESS!
Happy MOM’S Day!
And now you’ll have a mountain view to go with! I’m thrilled for you.
I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing an ocean. But thank you for showing it to me through your beautiful post. Blessings to you. ♥
I pray you get to the ocean… at least once in this lifetime! Every one needs an ocean view to hold in their hearts. It’s quite something. Thanks for stopping by today. ~elaine
This is beautiful Elaine! I’m glad you wrote the post on your old site as I wasn’t receiving your posts by email on this new one. Btw, I love your new design! It’s so clean looking and easy to follow.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Beautifully expressed.
Freedom is only found in Him. It is for freedom we are free.
Hey Elaine! Beautiful words…..”This is freedom…God’s way”. I recently heard some share a play on these words….”It’s Yayweh or no way is the only way for me”….
So glad you and your family had a beautiful time at the beach. I love the beach…He always ministers to me in such powerful ways and I sit under the pier at Jacksonville Beach, Fl and watch the billows roll and feel the sea breeze. I’m heading there next month and I can’t wait for some beach time with Him!!! Your post was so timely for me!! Thank you!
Happy belated Mothers Day and have a wonderful week!
HE IS FAITHFUL!
Jackie
[…] know. A heavy question, but since I used this phrase in my last post, I thought it deserved some further exploration. Merriam Webster defines hell-bent as “stubbornly […]
We are taking our vacation at Cape San Blas in Florida this summer. A simple beach house overlooking the ocean. I am so so excited because I cannot get enough of standing in front of the greatness of that creation we call an ocean. God’s presence is so powerful…through the strength of the waves to the depth of the ocean to the beauty of a sunset against its waters. Restorative, renewing, captivating…I am so ready for this trip!!
You have just added more fuel to to the fire of my excitement to put my toes into some sand!!
Holding you in my heart and prayers…Pamela
Thank you for not only the reminder of Freedom… but also the reminder of the Beginning…
Beginning days. God, dust, breath, man. Beginning days. God, man, rib, woman. Beginning days. God, man, woman, one flesh.
My heart has been so troubled these last few days. The Spirit speaking TRUTH and God’s loved people turning blindly to the ways of the world. I told my husband I wanted to put on my wedding gown (but I wouldn’t fit in that dress these days) and go have lunch at Chik-fil-a!
Thank you for showing the the beautiful pictures… and thank you for sharing the truth of God’s Freedom and the how so many do not see the freedoms of this world are truly bondage!
Love you!
Well, since I can’t fit into my wedding dress, maybe you could just roll me up in tp and sit me down to some waffle fries and chicken sandwich! I’m with you, sister.
So often God’s creation has been my tutor. Thank you for adding such a powerful, pretty & precious perspective!
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this.” Job 12:7-9