Monday Moment: Paths of the Seas

Where does understanding dwell?

It cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, 'It is not in me';

the sea says, 'It is not with me.'

[But] God understands the way to it

and He alone knows where it dwells,
for He views the ends of the earth

and sees everything under the heavens.

-Job 28:12-14, 23-24

We were only at sea a few hours when I made my way to the deck and leaned over the ship's railing. Blue. It was blue... blue, blue, blue... as far as I could see. The air was wet. My breath was heavy with water. I drank in what I could and then closed my eyes and breathed in the rest. The ship sailed on and on, slicing its way through the rippling water. I watched as waves churned and parted and then slid back in place, leaving no trace of where we'd just been.

It was, to be honest, a rough ride. Gripping the railing once more, I strained my eyes out over the water and prayed. "Lord, I don't see Your path right now," I whispered. "I can't see where You're taking me. I'm feeling a little lost at sea these days, Lord. Don't lose me. Don't let me drown during this time of questioning. Don't let me go."

The water lapped up the sides of the ship and on we sailed.

Later, as friends and I piled onto the deck to eat dinner, we noticed the water in our glasses bouncing and jiggling. The waiter, quick to assure us, mentioned something about the how-many-ever knot winds we were sailing into, and how the sea path would soon even it all out.

The sea path...

I'll never forget the day I learned of Matthew Maury. Do you know his story? He's credited with discovering the Gulf Stream in the 1860s. The story, as I know it to be, was that pioneer oceanographer Maury stumbled upon Psalms 8:8 one day and carefully read about "whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas". He was immediately curious. Were there "paths" in the sea? If so, where were they? What were they for?

Maury met with his fellow "oceanographers". I want to find these paths, he must have said. But they thought he was crazy. They encouraged him to redirect his efforts into something more productive. No, he said, I believe God put paths in the sea ... that He made paths for us there... and I'm going to find them.

Maury began studying and sailing and soon found a path in the sea that connects North America with Europe. It's 50 miles wide, 3,000 feet deep, and travels at a rate of 140 miles per hour. Ships now use it to save travel time. God had placed paths in the sea, and a seeking Matthew Maury found one.

As I remembered Matthew Maury, suddenly it was all there, a rushing tidal wave through my heart: "Don't lose me, Lord." ... The paths of the sea... Where does understanding dwell? God understands the way to it.... It splashed through my mind at once, and with it a surge of assurance. I returned to the same place on that deck and looked down, down, down into the sea and prayed once again. "Lord, I can't see your path, and can't find any understanding here in this land of the living, but I'll trust You that it's there. I'll lean on the hope that somewhere under this deep sea of longing and questioning and wondering, You've placed a path for me. And as You see everything under the heavens, Lord, see me. Don't forget to see me."

I arrived back to the table in just enough time to hear the waiter say that the ship had settled in, and we were in for a great night at sea. A peaceful night sailing the paths of the sea.

We were. It was.

God only knows where you are, but I suppose I write all this to say this: we aren't meant to understand. We're meant to believe. Faith is daring ourselves to go where our eyes can't see. And we can't expect understanding to come easy here... here in this land of the living. But God... our loving Father... He holds our lives. He holds it all. Before we ask our questions He has our answers. Before we word our prayers He's heard our cries. And as we drift over our deep, deep seas of emotion or grief or doubt or difficulties, He sees our seas and knows the paths He's buried in them.

I believe it. I truly do. And I know He's watching and loving us as we travel our own paths of the seas.

Monday Moment is a litle devotional to help kick start your week. See you again next Monday!