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by Ami Samuels

As I walked along the beach the morning of July 24, 2013, I began to notice heart shaped rocks everywhere I looked. I immediately started picking them up. There were so many I couldn’t carry them all. Well, I might have been able to, if I was willing to put down my coffee, which I wasn’t. For those of you who know me, you know how much I love my coffee. Sometimes at night before I go to bed I am already anticipating my morning cup of Joe. However, I did collect three heart shaped rocks.

Continuing to see heart shaped rocks as I sauntered along the beach I felt God’s unfailing, unconditional love for me. I was covered in his love.

God’s love for us isn’t conditional. “If you do this, I will love you.” “If you are good, I will love you.” “If you succeed, I will love you.” No, God loves us right here and right now. He loves us in our brokenness and in our successes. We don’t have to perform for God’s love for us.

That day I didn’t have an agenda or a plan of how I would serve God or worship him. I was soaking up his presence and his love for me. That’s it! It was that simple. I was just soaking up the Son.

As I stood with me feet in the surf, I felt the waves rush up onto my legs. If you have ever had the opportunity to stand and watch the waves roll in, you may have noticed how quickly the water rushes in. You really notice this if you don’t want to get wet as you race out of its path. As the water washes in, it reminds me of how God’s love rushes in and blesses us. How completely and fully he loves us.

As I watched the water recede back into the sea I noticed it was a slower, much gentler process. The receding water represented God’s grace and forgiveness to me. It gently washes away or sin and mistakes.

This week, take time to sit in God’s presence. We don’t have to be at the beach to find this quiet time with him. Turn off the noise of this world by shutting off your radio, television, computer, and phone, and find your personal sanctuary with your Heavenly Father.

I would love to hear about your sanctuary. Where do you find this peace and quiet with God?

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