Without Excuse
We just got back from a weekend at the beach with our best friends. My cup overflows. We made it through the madness of May (school events, schedules, and all!) and can now exhale—at least for a moment—between chasing our almost two-year-old as he makes another mad dash toward the water.
As we watched people flock to God’s glorious creation over the holiday weekend, I was reminded of these words from Romans 1:19–20 (ESV):
“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
Though the people to our right and left at the beach may not share our beliefs about God, Scripture reminds us they are “without excuse.” They see the same ocean, feel the same power in the waves and wind. I have to believe that this awe-inspiring force is part of what keeps drawing us back to the water. It is peaceful and terrifying. Beautiful and untamable. And completely out of our control.
We laugh as our sandcastles are washed away by the tide and remember that it was our God who separated the water from the dry land on the third day of creation. He made the stunning sun and its majestic sunsets on the fourth day. He created the flocks of pelicans and all kinds of jellyfish on the fifth day—before He ever made man on the sixth.
The beach is one of the rare places where it’s socially acceptable for adults to engage with nature like children. Maybe that’s because the ocean reminds us just how small we really are. Don’t bother putting on airs—the mighty sea will knock you down. A jellyfish will sting when you least expect it. The wind will steal your hat, and sand will find its way into every crevice. You are never in control out there—and at the beach, there's no pretending otherwise. But I am deeply grateful that the One who made the wind and waves, and the only One who can still them, is my God.
As we step into this summer season, I urge you to enjoy the beauty God has placed all around us. Marvel at the intricate. Delight in the simple. If the world feels heavy and hard, go for a walk. Plant something. Take in the majesty of creation—and let yourself be surrounded by the presence of a Creator who cannot and will not be denied. May we have eyes to see the evidence of His existence all around us.
