A reflective piece on the character of God seen in creation at Okaloosa Beach, Florida.
There’s something about the beach that stills my soul. The way the sun paints gold across the waves, the rhythm of the surf like a lullaby for the heart, and the feel of the sand slipping between my toes. It all points to something bigger. Or rather, Someone bigger. I recently spent a few days with my family on Okaloosa Island in Florida. And even in the joyful chaos of snacks, sunscreen, and sandy shoes, I found these pockets of peace. Moments where I sat quietly, watched the waves, and just listened. It wasn’t just a vacation. It was a personal sanctuary. A place where God met me in the hush between the tides. I was reminded, once again, that the beach, preaches. It doesn’t use words, but it speaks. Loudly and clearly. Of God’s nature. His goodness. His grace. If you’re willing to slow down and listen, you might just hear Him, too, in the sound of the surf and the feel of the sand.
The Beach Is a Reminder of Sabbath
There’s no hustle at the beach. No one’s in a rush. People stroll. Kids play. Adults read, rest, and nap. The waves set the pace, and suddenly you remember you were never meant to run on empty.
Even with family buzzing around me, I found holy stillness on that shoreline. The beach doesn’t just invite rest. It demands it. On our first day at the beach, I lay under our beach tent while the family was off doing all the things in the ocean. I spent a few moments in prayer as I gazed into the ocean.
Me: Ah, Lord, thank you for bringing us to this beautiful place. I’m so thankful for all you’ve done. I want all you have for me on this trip.
Response: Rest
Me: This is going to be such a wonderful time with my family, Lord. Whatever else you have for me, I’m listening.
Response: Rest
Me: Sigh. Of course, I’m going to relax and rest and enjoy my time here. But I’m also eager to dig in to whatever you want me to, Lord.
Response: Rest is for rest, Virginia. Rest.
Me: Oh. That’s it? Really? You just want me to rest?
Response: Rest.
Let me just say, I took that command seriously. I’d taken the Chromebook and my tablet both with me. I had several “good for me” books downloaded, had plans to research sermon illustrations, etc. I never took either out of my bag. Not even on the plane.
The Surf Speaks of His Steadfastness
One morning I got up early, found a quiet spot, and just watched the tide. Wave after wave rolled in, soft and steady. The rhythm was familiar. Predictable. Peaceful.
The ocean doesn’t take a day off. It doesn’t forget to show up. And neither does our God.
“Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.” Psalm 119:90 (NKJV)
When life feels inconsistent, and our emotions rise and fall like the surf, God’s faithfulness is our anchor. He’s as steady as the tide. He is reliable, present, unchanging. He doesn’t retreat when life feels hard. He moves toward us.
The Sand Reminds Me of His Nearness
Sand is persistent. It clings to your legs, hides in your shoes, and somehow finds its way into your suitcase and car cupholder. I sat on the beach and let a handful of it run through my fingers. I went into the ocean and did the same. And I couldn’t help but think of this:
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” Psalms 139:17-18 (NLT)
His thoughts toward us are as numerous as the grains of sand. He is not a distant God. He’s near. Attentive. Inescapably present. Like the sand that stays with you long after you leave the shore, His love sticks. Whether you feel it in the moment or not.
The Horizon Whispers of His Limitlessness
Have you ever stared out at the horizon where the sea meets the sky? No matter how long you look, you never find the end. It just keeps going. That’s how God’s greatness feels. Deep. Wide. Endless.
“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.” Psalm 147:5 (ESV)
There’s something comforting about serving a God we can’t fully comprehend. He is bigger than our worries. Wider than our questions. His capacity for love, mercy, and wisdom reaches farther than our eyes can see.
The Wind Echoes His Voice
The breeze that rolls in from the Gulf? It’s gentle but constant. You don’t see it coming, but you feel it on your skin. It carries the scent of salt and whispers in the air.
That breeze reminded me of Elijah’s moment on the mountain.
“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:12 (NKJV)
God often speaks in whispers. Not in thunder or fanfare. But in the quiet places. And on that beach, as the breeze wrapped around me, I felt Him say, “I’m here. As always.” It was such a poignant moment because during my season of silence, I felt the Lord’s presence but didn’t hear His voice. So to FEEL this moment, rather than hear it, was a reminder of those moments, when I felt His presence then, and knew, As always, He is by my side.
The Shells Reveal His Attention to Detail
I love examining shells. I confess, I drop more than I collect. I just think some things are best left on the shore. But I love picking them up and examining them. Some are perfectly whole. Others are cracked or broken. All are unique. No two exactly alike. And yet every single one shows care and intentional design. Just like us.
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Luke 12:7 (NIV)
Admittedly, that verse has always cracked me up. God had a whole lot less counting to do with me. My Mom used to tell me that God only made a few perfect heads, and to the rest He gave hair. So there is that. Seriously, though, God sees every detail. Every hurt. Every hope. Every moment. Even the ones we hide or forget. If He can craft a thousand different shells hidden in the sand, how much more does He shape and know you?
The Depths Declare His Wisdom
Even from the shore, you know there’s more going on under the water. Fish swimming, coral growing, entire ecosystems moving in secret. We don’t see most of the world that exists in the ocean, but we know it’s there.
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” Romans 11:33 (ESV)
Just because we don’t see how God is working doesn’t mean He’s not. He’s moving in the deep places… below the surface, behind the scenes, and within the waiting.
The Storm Clouds Are a Reminder of Grace
One afternoon, storm clouds covered the sea. I stood and watched for a bit, not fearful, but in awe. It was beautiful and powerful and a little haunting. And strangely, I felt peace. Storm clouds over the water reminded me of grace. And the storm never really materialized. A bit of rain here and there, but no actual storms.
“He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.” Psalms 107:29 (NLT)
Storms come, both on the beach and in our lives. But the One who commands the waves also covers us in mercy. He’s present in the dark clouds. He sees us when we’re bracing for impact. And He is still good when things feel uncertain.
The storm does not mean He has left. Sometimes, it’s in the storm that we hear Him most clearly.
The Tide Reminds Me of Change and Sovereignty
The tide always changes. High to low. Calm to choppy. You can’t control it. But you can respect it. And life is like that, too. We have seasons that rush in and seasons that pull back. Moments of joy and moments that feel like loss.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)
But God is not like the tide. He does not rise and fall. He does not drift away. While the seasons change, He remains the same… sovereign, strong, and sure.
Reflections from the Sand
I didn’t go to Okaloosa expecting a spiritual retreat. I went with my family to have fun, eat too much, and make memories. And we did all of that (I’ll share more in another article).
But in the in-between moments, in the quiet mornings before everyone else was awake and the still afternoons, I heard God whisper through the waves.
The sound of the surf reminded me He is steady.
The feel of the sand told me He is near.
The horizon showed me His vastness.
The breeze echoed His voice.
The shells pointed to His attention to detail.
The depths reminded me He’s working even when I can’t see it.
The clouds reminded me of grace in the storm.
And the beach itself? A call to Sabbath rest, right where I am.
Maybe You Need the Beach, Too.
You don’t have to have a quiet family or a perfect day. You just need an open heart and a few still minutes. God meets us in the sand. He preaches through the waves. And He refreshes us right there between sunscreen applications and seashell hunts.
So lean back. Breathe deep. Listen for the whisper.
And let the beach remind you that you’re not alone. God is with you, and He’s speaking through it all.
Always cheering you on!
