With Open Arms
“Come, let us return to the LORD” (Hosea 6:1)
The Father stands with open arms to receive us. He anticipates our return like a parent waiting to catch sight of their child lost at sea. Standing at the water’s edge, he patiently waits to catch a glimpse of the lost.
The sea can appear to go on forever. At times quiet and still like glass, and at other times raging. It can swallow up, damage and leave what has tangled with the seas, unrecognizable. It has done what it needed to do in trying to destroy. The seas and the world have much in common. However, the Father stands waiting and watching to find one of his beloved who has become entangled with the seas. He awaits for their arrival and he stands with open arms to receive them. No matter how battered by the seas of life, the Father will always pick us up and carry us to safety.
He will nurture and care for us with great tenderness and love and will restore us to fullness. He created us to live in complete union with him, love flowing fully with each other.
We must chose the Father over the seas of this world. The world entices and ensnares. It deceives us into thinking it is beautiful and calm like a predawn ocean, peaceful and tranquil, and without warning the storms move in. We are engulfed by the tumultuous waves and soon overtaken. The Father’s outstretched hand reaches for us, his heart an outpouring of love over us. We only need to reach out and He will save us.
I was very touched by the sea devotional this week at Nouwen, and wonder if it inspired this post? Or was it Moana?! Also a similar message! Enjoyed this meditation.
Neither. It was something from my journal from a while back. Stumbled upon it yesterday and thought I would share
Beautiful message.
Leslie, you don’t know how much I needed to read these words. Thank you. You are a blessing in my life.