This morning’s Bible verse caught my attention. Here was the first version…
“‘Should you not fear me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.’” {Jeremiah 5:22, NIV}
I never really thought of it that way, that the sand was a barrier for the ocean. But then, I read the Amplified version and it added another layer.
“‘Do you not fear and reverence Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble before Me? I placed the sand for the boundary of the sea, a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass and by an everlasting ordinance beyond which it cannot go? And though the waves of the sea toss and shake themselves, yet they cannot prevail [against the feeble grains of sand which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose]; though [the billows] roar, yet they cannot pass over that [barrier]. [Is not such a God to be reverently feared and worshiped?]‘” {Jeremiah 5:22, AMP…emphasis mine}
Did you catch that? The one little word that shows how God works. Feeble. The grain of sand that God ordained to be part of a barrier for the massive ocean…is feeble.
I don’t know about you but, that spoke to me. Have you ever felt that way? Just….feeble? Like your efforts and talents simply don’t look like they can measure up to what is required of you? Or maybe you look at who you are and what you can do, and you appear to be just a teeny-tiny grain of sand….up against the massive, powerful, seemingly-unstoppable ocean.
And yet. {I always find God somewhere near that word. 
}
“…though the waves of the sea toss and shake themselves, yet they cannot prevail [against the feeble grains of sand which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose]…”
Wow….right?
He takes a feeble grain of sand, combines it with other feeble grains, and…together…they form a barrier that not even an ocean can cross.
What about you? Feeling overwhelmed and alone? Does it seem as though there is no way you’ll be able to hold back that massive situation? Yeah, well…I’m with ya. So, here’s the deal. By yourself, you can’t win. You would just be swallowed up. But…together…look what we can do.
Together…we can stop the ocean.
Together…we can be a barrier.
Together…we can overcome.
Together…we cannot be prevailed against.
“…which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose…”
Is it sinking in yet? {pardon the pun} That’s how we function best.
Together.
United.
Linked arms.
Joined hands.
Standing side-by-side.
That’s how He ordained it. To be sufficient for what He had in mind. Remember…you’re not alone. You’re a part of a bigger, grander purpose. Just be yourself, let others stand with you, and watch what God can do with that.
{Image courtesy of Flickr}
