Our three-year-old, Teddy, had never seen the ocean. As the sun came up on the first morning of vacation, he could see water meet the horizon. We told Teddy he was seeing the ocean, but from the 14th floor, it was far away. He hadn’t been there, he hadn’t experienced it…but he caught a glimpse of what could be. As we went downstairs and across the bridge, the beach was wide and you couldn’t see the water…yet when Teddy’s feet hit the sand he started running toward what he knew was there. He picked up the first piece of cracked shell he saw and held it to his ear, trying to hear the ocean like his brothers had told him about. When he found he couldn’t hear it, he tossed it aside and kept running toward the water.
Why he was so compelled to run? Why didn’t he sit down and play in the sand? Teddy was seeking to experience what he had caught a glimpse of from the balcony.
Why are we attracted to the concept of God? With so much going on, why would we take time to figure that out? Why don’t we stop at “life is okay” and play in the sand? It’s because God is calling us to more. It isn’t a coincidence, feeling, or attraction that will soon pass. We have gotten a glimpse of Him and it leads us to wanting to see more. Something within us calls out that there must be a God, or we have seen someone else pursue God and think, “If He is as great as they think He is, I would want to experience that.”
At the first sight of water Teddy was unsure of himself, unsure of whether he should jump in or take it slow, but by the end of the day, Teddy was riding the waves. He was experiencing the ocean. So it is in our relationship with God. If you are reading this there is at least a curiosity that there must be more to this life.
You may have tried to follow and hear the whispers of our God. This life will forever be the pursuit of trying and then tossing the shell aside and pursuing again. If you get to a point where you don’t desire God, think back to what you know of Him to be true, what He has spoken to you or what you have seen Him do in the life of someone you love. Ask…ask Him to lead you toward a desire for Him. Choose again to keep running, forever living in pursuit.
One of the most vital components in pursuing God is showing up. I do not know of an instance where over a period of time a person showed up again and again and eventually God was not faithful to interact with them. God wants you to know Him and He has a narrative specifically for you that you don’t want to miss.
Don’t settle for the sand when you have seen the ocean. Just.keep.running.
