Life at Low Tide

​Treasures hidden below the sea are revealed when the tide goes out. The coastline of Maine is known for its boulder-strewn edges. When low tide occurs, you have the opportunity to climb up on some huge boulders and look out on the expansive ocean below. The boulders in Maine fascinate me as I look at their variety of layers laid down over thousands of years. The ocean has managed to place some grooves in the rocks, but the larger ones are immovable because they are deeply anchored into the ground.
 
At low tide one may hear the sound of the life that lives on the ocean floor. Habitats formed below are revealed and life comes alive in a new way. Rocks and sand are covered with varieties of seaweed that provide shelter and food for crabs, oysters, and snails. Sea birds peck at the seaweed to find gourmet morsels to digest.
 
Tidal pools become visible as the ocean pulls away from the shoreline. Waves that crash ashore leave deposits of crustaceans, fish, and plant life in hollowed out areas surrounded by large rocks, and small habitats or microcosms of the ocean beyond develop. New life appears in these small places, and a community grows. It is the large rocks and boulders that protect each community from being destroyed. Standing at the edge of a tidal pool, I remember how the Lord is our Rock. Psalm 62:2 says, "Truly He is my rock, my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." 
 
Our lives, like the life that appears in tidal pools, also have moments of ebbs and flows where we feel exposed and vulnerable. It is during these times that we need to remember our Creator, the One who gives us life and encourages us to grow where we are deposited. During challenging times, He is the Rock who lifts us up and gives us new vision for life.
 
2 Samuel 22:2 and 3 says it this way: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies." When we feel like we are being deposited in new areas of life, we must evaluate what is happening to see if it is time to start some new relationships and begin to explore possibilities that we never thought about before. God has a plan and purpose for us, and we must move with His flow. May He introduce us to some new and exciting possibilities.