Peace by Piece: Rest in Daily Steps

Perfect Sand

by Stephanie Fincher

In the quiet of the morning, a tucked away beach destination slowly awakens as the sun’s rays beckon vacationers to greet the new day. A well-worn man carrying a rake begins his daily routine to smooth disheveled sand from the prior day’s activity. He works carefully and methodically, removing pieces that do not “belong” there…small tree branches, pieces of dead sea grass, rocks, and broken shells. His effort makes him sweat, but he continues until the sand is just right with perfect, equidistant lines left from the rake’s sweep. The area now sits serenely undisturbed…. until it isn’t.

In a matter of hours and maybe minutes, the once smooth and oddly satisfying surface will be disrupted by footprints of busy birds, eager tourists, or perhaps the later evening journey of a turtle making her way to bury delicate eggs.

Whatever the source, each footprint will be made using the perfect sand as a means to get from one place to another. And why not? The sand is purposely there to be useful and it provides safe refuge for the tiniest of God’s creatures. It is life.

Perfect sand. It is pleasing and attractive…an idyllic way for our own life to look. The idea of it is calm, inviting, and easy. We envision a picturesque setting within a perceived ideal and fall into imitating the man with the rake. We smooth our sand, protect its borders, and expend great effort to keep it undisturbed and “just-so”. We want it pristine and untouched – by others, by circumstances, perhaps even by God at times. It seems tranquil and good.

But while perfect sand may be pleasing for a time, its static appearance can soon become boring and dissatisfying – routinely monotonous due to no change or activity, no essence or energy. It bears no mark of the life beyond its borders. Conversely, sand that is richly rustled reveals liveliness and movement….when you imagine it, you can almost hear the laughter of carefree children at play, seagulls quarreling to defend their territory, and the rhythmic melody of soothing ocean waves. Whether it be the excitement of play amidst the salty breezes or the distinctive cry of nature’s declaration, the area is alive and it is robust.

In personal reflection, may we consider a delicate and sometimes obvious parallel, a question all too easy to dismiss?

Who or what drives us to protect our own perfect sand to keep it free of disturbance or inconvenience? Perhaps it is a difficult family member, a neighbor with a need, or a “friend” we’d rather avoid. Could it be that we are shielding a habitual way of thinking not open for challenge, a humdrum task deferred until “sometime,” or a muchneeded conversation that sinks to the bottom of a pile of priorities?

All of these things can encroach on and even threaten our smooth and carefully prepared plans. Or, the plans we need to make, but do not.

So how do we begin to shift our thinking and welcome those footprints onto our sands of life? Have we considered that the very things we want untouched may be the things God will use to re-energize our faith and deepen (or repair) our relationship with Him and others? Only by His Truth can we really know how to change the way we change. And we do know. Our loving Father has told us in unclouded instruction. Receiving and transferring this clarity into action is the hard part.

“To obey is better than sacrifice,” says 1 Samuel 15:22. James 3:17 further teaches that “the wisdom from above [to change] is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

All of those character traits as a call to action? Impossible! Unquestionably yes, without the indwelling strength of the Holy Spirit and the continual flow of Jesus’ prayers that intercede for us according to Romans 8:34. He has no weary pause or sigh of exasperation by our weaknesses and joyfully supplies His help for our hard moments. How fitting that the apostle Paul exclaimed in praise, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33). Our gracious Lord wisely allows “unsettled sands” to sift and soften uncertain hearts to be more like His and we gain new freedom as we release boundaries that promised peace yet remain unfulfilled!

Paul refused to allow the deception of perfect sand in his life, and received power and joy filled with bountiful fruit and life. It was not given to him because he was “Paul”; rather, it was given to him because he surrendered his thoughts and actions to Christ…daily…consistently…over time.

Anything of lasting value in our lives that is also eternal for the Kingdom requires time and a willingness to accept God’s invitation to make room for “messy sand” each day. May we settle for nothing less and be reminded of God’s call when we sense a few grains of sand being unexpectedly shifted today. Toss your rake aside and invite the energizing activity of God’s absolute best for you, even when it’s hard. He is with you dear one.

And may your spirit and mine find joy and supernatural peace when our perfect sand is no longer perfect and stays that way!

Scripture references taken from the New King James Bible