Last week we began a visit to a saltwater beach. We were interested in finding things that remind us of God's creation. We can plainly hear the roar of the waves as we walk toward the water. A little squirt of water pops up at our feet, signaling a clam down in the wet sand. How does it breathe and eat buried down there? God has designed it for this life with a long, tube-like neck called a siphon. It extends to the surface to keep its breathing and eating vent open. When waves come, water flows down the clam's siphon bringing food with it. Does God see the clam buried in the sand? Yes, He does. The Bible says, "The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee" (Psa. 139:1212Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (Psalm 139:12)).
We hear the cries of flying sea gulls. One drops down for food its sharp eyes have spotted. Notice how swiftly the sandpipers run, chasing receding waves for bits of food left behind on the sand. Suddenly, they all take to the air. How gracefully they fly, all turning together as though following a given signal. Along the shore there are also avocets. Their curved bills pecking at the sand are finding food that we cannot even see! Someone reminds us that the Lord cares for each creature and remembers Psa. 145:99The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalm 145:9), which says, "The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works."
We cross a rocky area where we inspect pools left behind when the tide went out. Some of these pools have colorful sea anemones showing a display of delicate tentacles as tiny fish swim around them. Periwinkles cling to the bottom and sides of their tide-pool prison. In some pools there are pretty shells, starfish, snails, barnacles, mussels, sea urchins, crabs and even small octopuses. We think it must delight the Creator to look into these pools and see all these living creatures that are under His care.
Leaving the tide pools, we have to step around piles of kelp and brown and red seaweed left on the beach. These look like whips, although some are lacy. They tell of storms which have torn them loose from the sea and washed them ashore. Mixed in among them are sand dollars, stranded jellyfish and sometimes a dead fish.
How interesting to look at all these strange things and realize they are part of the wonderful creation of "The Mighty God, The Lord of hosts, is His name; great in counsel, and mighty in work" (Jer. 32:18-1918Thou showest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name, 19Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: (Jeremiah 32:18‑19)). Did you know that in His Word He has invited you to be one of His children by believing in the work of His beloved Son on Calvary's cross? "By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law" (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)).
Next week we will finish our visit to the ocean.