Oceans of Love

The warm moist air of the ocean breeze chilled the spray of foam from the little boy’s legs. Up to elbows in sand, he gleamed with excitement as he called for his father to see his masterful work of art. There standing before him, in all its two foot glory, was a pile of sand, when looked upon with a four year old imagination, made a castle fit for any king. Complete with a bridge, moat, and tower, even his Legos could not compare to this work of his very own hands.

Seeing the excitement of his son, the father rushed across the sand from his place on a beach towel to see the feat his son had accomplished. “What a great castle, son. If I were a king I would live in it.” A huge smile lifted the boy’s cheeks and culminated in a daddy size hug.

Just then however, the white foam was no longer spray and a rush of water covered the two foot masterpiece leaving nothing but a rounded pile of sand. Tears began to fill the little one’s eyes and the hugs turned to tender care as the father consoled his son.

Wanting to cheer him the father thought for a moment and then picked up his son running into the ocean water. He knelt down and cupped some water in his hands and asked his son, “What do you see?”

“I see what messed up my castle,” pouted the little boy. So the father did it again.

“What do you see?”

The little boy replied, “Water,” with a whimper.

“How much do you see,” asked the father?

“A whole bunch,” he replied.

Then the father said, “You scoop some up in your hands.” The little boy, with a puzzled look did as he was asked. Then the father said, “When you scooped up that water did you notice anything different about the ocean?”

“No daddy there is too much ocean," the little boy said.

“Exactly,” said the father, “It is like God’s love. No matter how much you get there is always more, and no matter how much you take, there is so much that you can’t even tell any is gone. The water may have knocked down your castle, but that is because God wants you to know that he loves you and so do I. So let’s go build another one together.”

“No daddy, I think I just want to stay in the water now,” the little boy replied.

This post was inspired by an illustration given by Dr. Ware at Southern Seminary.