Not now, not Ever

6am, Umhlanga Beach. February 2020.

When I think of God, I think of the sun. Big and warm and bright. It reminds me of His love: constant, life-giving and unfailing.

Standing at the waters edge this morning, I watched this sun peek its nose over the blue edge of the world and gently dip his toes into the salty waves. Its reflection split the dull sleepy ocean with a violent white line and a burnt orange glow, growing longer as the sun rose higher until it reached the frothy waves, then the sand, and then my toes.

Who am I, that the sun would choose to rise up and extend its lengthy glow to my feet? Who am I that it would see me? Who am I that it would direct its glory upon me this morning? Then, a beautiful thing happened.

I turned to the right and began to walk along the shore, and saw that the line of light coming from the sun stayed with me, and continued to point the warmth of its splendor directly at me. I saw that this happened whether I went to the right or the left. If I walked back or forth, the line would lengthen or shorten so that it remained at the tip of my toes. I felt... special.

I felt like I was the only person in the world, like the sun woke up and dressed itself in glory esspecially for me today. I thought to myslef how wonderful it all was for me, but also wondered how another may feel that the light should shine only for me. I then realized that if the other person were to stand on the same shore but a little further up or down the beach, they too would see the round sun in all its glory direct a very straight and true line of reflection across the expanse of the seas, to touch their toes.

This was a new and beautiful picture for me of the way our God loves. He loves each of us individually and wholly, yet He loves us all this way. Like the sun rises each morning and chooses to extend his great light to us, so God chooses each day to extend His grace to us, and to YOU specifically. He sees YOU. He is a personal and relevant God, and His mercies are new every morning. Like the light followed me as I walked along the shore, so God's love reaches out to you, whether you venture near or far, to the east or to the west. Nothing can seperate you from God's love. Nothing. Not now, not ever.