Out of His Deep Blue

                                                                                                                                   

It looked like a huge Stingray, which made me side step out the way. As I did, it billowed out and seemed to pop, like a huge balloon, before disappearing into His deep blue again.                                              

I stopped walking in the waves crest, and waited on the sand for a better look. It disappeared as the waves sucked it back in, and it then came back, this time closer and bigger.

What I was seeing was no fish; it was blue and gold, and lots of it. I stepped back into the waves, knee deep, and reached for it as the waves pushed it in closer to me. I grabbed onto it with a somewhat fearless confidence.

I reached and pulled it out of the deep blue sea. It was a piece of cloth. I hauled and pulled and it seemed never ending. It was beautifully intact, no fraying, no holes, nothing but a perfect piece of very long beautiful gold and blue fabric.

This was no ordinary piece of fabric, I took it as a gift from God, for whatever reason I did not know, but I thanked Him for allowing me the ease to retrieve and receive it, and for His gift from His deep blue ocean.

It was heavy laden with water and sand, so I had to drag it before I could gather it into my arms. I took it into the estuary and rinsed off all the sand and tried to fold it, but failed. So I rolled it into my arms and carried it back to the chalet.

I draped it over the lines, as one was not enough. I had to peg it on each line and as I hung it the wind tried to grab hold of it causing it to billow into beautiful waves of gold and blue. As I watched it, I thought about what I could do with it; I could get some pj’s made, or we could make lovely tops or skirts. There was so much that could be done with it. I watched it billow in the wind with joy, and when it dried, I took it off with ease as it was now very lightweight. I folded it and put it away ready to take back home.

This was the weekend before Christmas and we were spending it with my sister and her husband at a holiday resort. The following weekend would be another that we would be spending together at a friend of my sister for Christmas lunch. So, whilst we were there we discussed which part of the meal we would prepare and take along.

On the same day we arrived back home, I washed my beautiful gift from God. Again I looked at it on the line and spent many thoughts on what I could do with it.

During the week, the plans for Christmas changed. Suddenly we were having Christmas lunch at our house. There would be six of us so I had to think about table settings, whether inside or outside. We could do it at the dining table for six, and I could use my lovely woven white tablecloth. However, around the table was quite squashy and if it was a hot day we would struggle with the heat. I thought about outside by the pool, and if I put the two tables together, lengthways, it would be perfect. However, I did not have a tablecloth to fit across those two tables…or did I?

I went to my linen cupboard and searched for a tablecloth and I found nothing to fit. I held up the fabric from the deep blue and that is when the reason for the gift of that beautiful gold and blue fabric struck me. It was a tablecloth for Christmas day, the perfect width and length, enough to cut and use on two different table settings. God knew our Christmas plans before I did, and He knew the weather would be perfect to sit outside, and He knew that I would love to have the same cloth on the two joined tables, and the serving table too. He knew why I needed that cloth long before I found it. I imagine He must have laughed with all the thoughts that were forming in my mind about how I could use it. Once again I was drawn into praise and thanks giving for my Heavenly Dad who knew so much better than me.

He saw me walking on that beach, far from where we were fishing, and I believe He’d ordained very long ago to send my gift in a way that I would know it was from Him. I believe He also knew that I would use it as a conversational piece to magnify the reason for celebrating Christmas. He clearly knew I would share that Jesus was a gift for us sinners, and the gold and blue fabric, a gift for our celebration luncheon about His birth and life.

Thank You Lord Jesus for the beautiful blue and gold fabric, a special and beautiful gift, sent especially for me on the waves of Your deep blue ocean, to use specifically to lift, praise and glorify Your precious name. Thank You, my Awesome Father God, especially for Your Son Jesus, and my new tablecloth, in His name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

©Cheryl D. Robins 2011