|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "When Morning Gilds The Skies"1 (Lyrics) |
Hosea 1:10 – Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." (ESV)
During the summer holidays, we were away with the children, staying near the beach at Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire. There are long, straight, sandy beaches hardly used outside of the town. We had a lovely time playing in the sand, eating ice creams.
Since we have returned home, I believe that God has used that experience to show me, in my remembrance of our time there, how He is pouring out the Holy Spirit, using the beach as an illustration of His love for us.
All those within the kingdom of God may be compared to the myriad grains of sand and small pebbles on the shore up to the high water mark. Then, I saw the tide coming in as an analogy of God's bringing in the tide of His Holy Spirit to wash over Christians, totally immersing them in His cleansing love and feeding their spirit.
No matter how deep in the sand we are, sooner or later, we are going to get saturated. Some on the surface are going to get moved about, polished up, and in the process of interacting with others, become beautiful and shiny to God as the waves of the Holy Spirit crash in upon us.
Those not in the kingdom, above the high water mark, are left out in the dry, blown about at the mercy of the winds of the world.
Some of us, like me, have been around for a quite a bit and have heard tales about occasionally seeing the miracles of God — signposts to the kingdom in their season. If I am right, I sense a more all-encompassing presence of God to move and overwhelm and bless His children.
So, to all who are thirsty, whether we get to heaven first or not, I say: expect to be blessed soon!
Prayer: Lord, may Your glory fall and may we be overwhelmed by Your holy presence. Please fill our inner temples and the churches by the movement of the Holy Spirit to bring restoration in our time. May the grace, peace, love, and joy of the Lord be evident in us, through all that You take us into today, that our lives may be testimonials to Your amazing love for us in good times and bad. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Thursday, April 18, 2024 – In East Asia — Pray for more partners who become trainers in our house church planting network in East Asia. We are asking God for around ten of these trainers for each district in our region. May the Lord grant them courage in their next step of faith.
stressful travel ahead: "April 17, 2024: Please pray that our upcoming travel will be okay. A few problems have arisen with..." 
Amen to your prayer.
Another good one Rob.
Thanks Rod for sharing your thoughts on the sea, sand and God’s grace. Blessings.
Beautifully put, Rod.
Thank you for a truly meaningful devotional.
Thank you so very much for sending this today to all of us readers.
(ON Canada)
Interestingly said Rod,
Thank you for sharing.
Blessings.
Dear Rod,
I always appreciate your devotionals so much. I will think of this analogy many times this week. Our tiny rural church in southern Ontario needs that washing of the Holy Spirit so much.
May our Lord bless you and your wife and children.
Dear Roderick Marshall,
God has given you not only a gift of nearness to himself but also a gift of writing.
I appreciate your prayer.
Thanks for using such up-beat expression.
Keep writing devotions.
Good morning, Rod, from the high desert of Southern California. I was so surprised to see a devotional all the way from England. I may have read your before but missed checking who was writing.
Every morning when I pray before I climb out of bed, I ask the Lord to make me a blessing to someone that day, and you sure blessed mine today. It brought a thought to me, a reminder that the Lord knows how many hairs we have, but also knows how many sands are on those beautiful beaches. I remember how we took our youngsters to the beaches so many times with a picnic, watching with delight as they built castles in the sands, buried each other, and what joy they showed us. Now they are 60-70, all incredible artists and musicians. I like to think that some of their creative abilities started at the beaches of the Pacific Ocean.
I will keep watch for more of your devotions. God bless you and yours real good.
(Ca.)
Dear Rod,
I so enjoyed your view of seeing the tides coming in as waves of blessing from Holy Spirit; I do long for his Spirit to bless me in a new and refreshing way so my life will show that I have been with Jesus. Thanks for writing, my friend.