It was the last morning of our Florida vacation. The sunrise over the ocean seemed to grow more breathtaking with every step I took up the boardwalk. The golden light shimmered on the water, and the gentle rhythm of the waves brought a sense of calmness. Yesterday, I watched people biking along the water’s edge, and today I decided to run there myself. At other beaches, the sand had always been too soft—each step sinking. But here, the sand was firm, packed just right by the tide.
And to think, shores nearby are completely different.
ChatGPT gave this explanation when comparing the sand:
Beaches with coarse, angular grains tend to lock together better, creating a firmer surface. In addition, slightly wet sand is more compact because water helps bind grains together. Why You Sink on Other Beaches: Beaches with very fine or rounded grains don’t interlock well, so they shift easily under pressure.
If you are a frequent beach goer, you can tell exactly what kind of sand you are on just by looking at the waves. Heavily trafficked beaches or those with strong wave action often have tightly packed sand, making them more stable.
You don’t have to go to a beach to know what it feels like to sink.
Not the physical sinking – emotionally sinking.
In Matthew Chapter 14, we read about Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples who knows a little bit about sinking too.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it is you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matthew 14:27-30 NIV)
Peter began to sink immediately when his faith faltered under pressure.
I love how Jesus responds.
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31 NIV)
When you don’t have the hope of Jesus interlocking arms with you, you shift easily.
Some of you may be walking on the ‘beaches of soft sand’ right now, sinking with every problem and worry.
Where do you go when you lose hope – when you lose your job?
When you discover an affair?
When you get terrorized?
When someone dies?
When you lose your purpose?
When you become ill?
When you long for a family?
Truth is – you might turn to alcohol, toxic relationships, & sins of this world.
If you don’t look to God in the heartbreak, you will sink.
It’s not enough to just go to church on Sunday and the rest of the week forget about God.
Faith isn’t a checklist.
The more you talk to God, read his word, and mediate on his truths for your life – The more tightly packed your faith becomes. When you trust the heavenly Father – you know you won’t sink.
Trusting in God. That’s the best thing you can do right now.
I’m praying that if you are reading this and don’t have a relationship with God, that you will put your trust in him. I’m praying that you will be able to run on the beach freely, because you know where your hope is. And I’m praying that God’s word is woven so tightly in your heart that you can’t fall.
He really can keep you from sinking!
Running along the shore I’m reminded of the song by Edward Mote –
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
Thank you, God, for keeping me from sinking!
