A Measureless Shore

This particular year would be a milestone June birthday for my twin sister, Kathy, and me. We lived many states apart from one another and were rarely able to spend our birthday together. We determined that we would spend our sixtieth with each other. The trip to the beach was planned. Kathy and her family went there each summer; however, the place was new to me. I flew to the Charlotte airport, where Kathy picked me up. We then headed by car to Sunset Beach, North Carolina. Being from Nebraska, where an ocean is nonexistent, I find the beach to be a very magical and majestic place.

We went to the beach early in the morning and walked along the deserted shoreline. It seemed endless as we looked toward the horizon.

I was amazed by the large mansions that were built so close to the water’s edge. We were near the North Carolina Bird Island Reserve.

The sight of the hundreds of pelicans on the shoreline, the taste of the saltwater, the sound and power of the waves, and the sand in my toes elevated me to new heights. We walked for miles that day, singing hymns and soaking in the glory of God’s creation. We found a lone mailbox along the way with “Kindred Spirits” written on it.

Inside was a notebook where we left a message of love for those who came next on the trail. One of my favorite writers states: “In the contemplation of Christ we linger on the shore of a love that is measureless. We endeavor to tell of this love, and language fails us.”* As I lingered on the beach shore, I thought about God’s great love for us and the messages He has left for us in His Word. He came to earth to walk as one of us. He sacrificed His life for us. He now works as our Advocate (Kindred Spirit) in the heavenly realm. He is preparing a mansion for those who love Him. Remember today that God’s love enables our characters to be renewed and elevated, just as I was inspired and changed walking along the beach that day.

Karen M. Phillips