Counting Sand

I just returned from our family trip to Florida. There is nothing quite like ocean waves and the white sand. The week was a restful "re-grouping" for the six of us, plus one cherished family friend. I would have to say my favorite activity was taking one-on-one beach-side walks with Mac and then each of my children. At the kids' ages now (20, 18, 15, and 14), it's all about quality time... I cherished each step.

As I felt the sand beneath my feet, one verse kept coming to my mind:

How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them they are more than the sand. Psalm 139:17-18

Another translation, the Message, puts it this way:

Your thoughts--how rare and beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them! I couldn't even begin to count them--any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Psalm 139:17-18

Just think, if I had reached down and picked up one grain of sand, the psalmist is saying this would represent one rare and beautiful thought of God. And then if I counted the next grain of sand, it would be likened to another wonder-filled truth about God. And the next grain of sand, one more powerful trait concerning God. And the next grain, one more profound assessment of His character. And the next grain...

My friend, our God is an amazing, complex, exquisite, righteous, compassionate, generous, lovely, holy, listening, helping, saving God. And He is... so much more! The more we know of Him, the "bigger" He becomes to our hearts, and we just keep praising and trusting and learning and leaning into Him.

I am home now; how quickly life gets back into full swing (or should I say spin). The sweet walks, and the grains of sand on the beach were left behind as a cherished memory; but His rare and beautiful thoughts I will keep counting for years and years to come.