I spent my Sunday morning going for a walk on the bluffs over looking the beach. I had my pack on and had put about 20 lbs in it to start getting used to it. I walked for about an hour and towards the end of my walk I noticed a seal that was just lying on the beach. He was alive but probably injured because he wasn’t moving much. As I stopped and watched him I noticed a white pick-up truck driving down the beach toward the seal. It stopped in front of him and two men (some sort of biologists or veterinarians I presumed) got out of the truck with big nets and a plastic dog kennel. As they trapped him in the nets he struggled a lot and tried to break free only getting himself more tangled. Finally the men were able to drag him by the nets into the back of their pick-up truck and take him away, probably to check his health and get him back to sea.
I realized as I was watching this unfold what a metaphor this is for my relationship with the Lord. My sin and pride “beaches” me all the time which puts my spiritual health in danger. Then my Father comes along to try and get me back out to sea. He lovingly puts his nets over me and I fight and struggle the temporary unpleasantness, but it’s for my best. If he didn’t do it then I’d surely die on the beach. Instead of struggling against the Lord when he’s trying to help I need to learn to just submit and trust that he really knows what’s best for my life.
