Search for Significance at Rockham Bay

One evening in Devon, we went for a walk down to the private beach belonging to to the campsite where we stayed. Rockham Beach. It's a steep climb down, many steps from the cliff where the campsite is perched, but well worth it.

We had the whole beach to ourselves for most of the evening. The 'evening walk' has become a bit of a tradition for our family whilst on holiday. The day's frantic activity, of swimming and surfing, not being quite enough adventure for them. They then need, after some refuelling back at the caravan, a couple more hours of clambering, exploring caves and rock pools, skimming stones and beach-combing.

Then, as we start to tire, God puts on this incredible display of sunset over the ocean, just for us. Everyone quietens and slows their pace, stopping to simply watch the breathtaking drama of it all.

I wish I could bottle up such moments.
And pop the cork off the bottle for a deep draught of it when I'm stressed and tired and busy and too caught up in DOING stuff. Then, I'd remember what it is to BE.

We talked with our children that night, no longer children, but young people, developing their own authentic personal faith, about the vastness of the ocean, the pull of the tides, the effect of the moon, the incomprehensible distances in the universe and the Eternal One who created them. We explained how God the Father made all THAT and yet each one of us, tiny creatures that we are, is significant and precious to Him. Despite our own frequent feelings of insignificance and unworthiness.

This God, the one who created the Heavens and the Earth, thought me worth dying for. I no longer need to search for significance.

I hope my children bottled that.