“The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

Black clouds in military formation marched across the horizon like an army of soldiers with a load of rain. Palm fronds waved their arms in surrender as the onslaught approached. When the sea palette deepened to a threatening gray, we fled our ocean refuge for the day.

Minutes earlier, pelicans drafted like bikers in a peloton inches above the waterline.

With crunchy sand underfoot and a canopy of blue overhead, we ambled in silence, the waves washing across our feet in methodical rhythm. The sound was insulation from pestering worries and concerns as if the soothing cadence laundered, starched, and arranged each nerve ending in rightful order.

God is author of such wonder. He washes us with his Spirit the way the water soaks into the land. He soothes with his sense of calm, strengthening us with his endless might for all the times that grow dim right before our eyes. His care envelops every season of our lives.

Once years ago, as I fed Gracie with her tiny spoon from a cup of yogurt, she lifted her eyes up to me for each new bite. I responded quickly, gladly giving her more of what she loved. Later in the afternoon I scooped tiny crackers in my palm and placed them in her chubby hands. There was nothing burdensome about the delightful task of caring for our granddaughter. In fact, being with her gave me a gallon worth of concentrated joy.

Of course, God’s hands extend far more significantly. I have had countless opportunities to care for our children and grandchildren with what I held in my possession. But He is the Creator and Sustainer. King David made it clear that “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:15). With his gracious hands God touches us, satisfying us in the deepest ways possible, encircling us with more goodness than we could even imagine.

Life often comes packaged with little out of the ordinary. And yet, each regular route can be a fresh reminder that our days should never be squandered by oblivious indifference to its remarkable features. God ushers in thunder clouds, wingspans, bright eyes, and a multitude of other delights to awaken our hearts to his kindness and grace.

Awareness of it all just might pry our hearts open to receive.

Elizabeth Ann Mitchell

Photo Credit: Samuel Scrimshaw on Unsplash