Be Still, Be Six

I took my green plastic dollar-store sand bucket and kitchen sieve and walked over to the beach. My intention: to gather a pail of small, broken shells for my craft project, rather than using my store bought bag of shells. When all laid out, the shells I’d purchased, as lovely as they are, simply look too… ‘perfect’! 

Probably over fifty years have come and gone since I last shoved a sieve into the sand, raised it and shook it to reveal fragments of small shells.  With each scoop, I watched the sand fall through the sieve, and be quickly carried off by the breeze.

 I was six years old again.

My bucket filled with a multitude of tiny seashells of all colors, shapes and textures, including some miniscule bits of sea glass.  I paused, sat down and gazed out at the waves rhythmically rolling onto the beach. The thought occurred to me, “I should write a devotional about this”.  I scanned my memory for appropriate Scripture. I turned several ideas over in my head.  I prayed for an inspiration. The words, words, words of my thoughts tried unsuccessfully to rise above the relentless pounding of the waves, to ignore the warmth of the early March sun on my back and stinging spray of sandy wind on my face.  And as much as I love words, and Scripture, and devotionals, something (or Someone!) told me to just sit. Sit, and listen. Sit, and observe. Sit, and sift.

Sit, and be six.

Most likely thousands of devotionals, prayers, poems and books have been written about the mystery and spirituality found at the seashore. Perhaps the world does not need another one, at least not while I’m sifting for shells. During your Lenten journey, may you find peace just sitting and resting in God’s presence.

Lord,
Grant me stillness of mind and heart that I may know your presence in the ebb and flow of my life . Amen

Jerie M. Lukefahr

“Be still, and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10