By the shores of Lake Michigan, one could look out and see nothing but water. It was like the ocean, just without the salt. We loved walking along the beach with Mom picking up stones to skip, looking for lost treasure, and wading into the crashing waves. Mom has always loved the big lake. Growing up only a short car ride away, we would go there every summer.
There’s always been something special about large bodies of water that captivate me. They have not only been places of rest for my soul, but I’ve felt a sense of connection with them; something inherent inside of me is drawn to them. Perhaps some of my distant past relatives were sailors, fishermen, or just lived by the sea (something I know is probably the case based on the recent DNA test we took).
l’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Certainly, there are many others who are drawn to the water just like me. It’s as though part of us innately longs to be near it. It could be as simple as our survival nature calling us, or it could be something more.
Even Jesus spent much his life and ministry near the Sea of Galilee. Peter and John, both fisherman by trade, were two of His closest followers. Water’s association with our faith is seen in the act of being baptized (the submersion under water after repentance) to symbolize our souls being cleansed; our old life being cast away and new life being born.
More than anything, we all need water to live. It’s the basic building block of life as and the very first thing scientists look for when searching for other planets like our own.
If the longing within to be near water is indeed a spiritual one as well as a physical one, what is it saying to us when we feel it? For me, it’s saying there’s a part of my soul that feels empty. There may be a hurt or wound that needs healing. My inner man may be longing for a lost relationship to be restored. Or, God may be calling me to a place where He can wash me from within of the uncleanness that has built up by living in this fallen world.
It’s in this way that God speaks to us. Many people think that God will never speak to them, but He does. He made us to hear His voice and to be drawn to certain things for a reason. The instincts we feel, at times, could very well be our Heavenly Father looking to speak to us.
You may have been feeling empty, hurt, or just carrying a burden that you need to let go of lately and, for some unknown reason, you have been longing to get away to a place by the water. It may be a small stretch to think that it’s God calling to your heart, but it’s possible.
The truth is, He cares and wants to fill us with ‘joy overflowing’. He wants to give us ‘rivers of living water’ flowing from within our hearts. His plan is for us to have ‘life, and life more abundantly’.
For what it’s worth, He’s waiting for you by the water (whether real water or imagined). Jesus walked on water to get to his disciples who were tossed by the sea and He’s walking to you too. He’s reaching out His hand to you tonight. If you take it, He will speak to the storm in your life and bring His calm. You don’t need to go to a distant ocean somewhere, you just need to open your heart to Him, and He will come in, wash away the mess, and fill you again. I promise…
Reflections 