Trust Him.

Today my best friend and I went out to the beach at Jamaica Bay. The pristine beauty of the water and sky counteracts the garbage-covered land and bridge crossing with it's polluting cars; Man's toll on God's creation is clearly evident. While the planes from JFK roared overhead, I sat and listened to the small waves lapping against the shore. They were merely an inch or two high but still made a substantial ambient noise.

In a bout of spiritual insecurity, I pondered my place in God's plan and his way for my life. Indeed only through Him am I complete, I thought, but something was still nagging at my heart. I asked Steve Robert, my best friend about it. Being the devout pastor-to-be-but-going-to-college-to-be-an-architect that he is, he gave me a morning church service right on the beach. He started preaching to me about how the temptation of sin is what keeps us from trusting in Him. While one believes in God, it takes enormous sacrifice on our part to trust in God and give our lives to His purpose. Then again, He made the ultimate sacrifice; Jesus laid his life down for us, we should do the same for Him.

Upon more thinking, I saw a random lime lying on the sand, probably from some late-night beach party from the night before. I threw towards the ocean and it hit the edge of the water. It got rocked by the two inch waves over and over and over. It tried to get out to sea but was constantly hit by the waves. Trying and failing. In an epiphany of sorts, I realized that this lime was me. I was trying to get out to sea but couldn't being pushed back by life's burdens. Through the temptation of sin, I couldn't get to the spiritual place that was necessary for me to be at peace with God.

I walked down to the water and picked up the lime and threw it out into the ocean. It splashed and floated away merrily as it had accomplished its goal. I asked God to give me that push, to throw me out into his great ocean of blessing that he bestows upon those who trust Him. Steve Robert reminded me that trusting God to give us that push was the only way to experience what God can do in our lives. The Holy Spirit will come down upon you and lift you up and throw you into the God's presence. Throw off the temptation of sin and not tackle God-sized problems without his strength and guidance. Trust in God to take your life into His hands and create a vessel that can work for His glory. Only through Him will you achieve spiritual peace. And let the words of Francis Scott Key reign on our lives: "...And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'"


Soli Deo gloria.