My husband and I were newlyweds when we traveled overseas to the Dominican Republic.   The beaches there are beautiful.  We rode on horses, took a bike ride through the outskirts of the resort we were staying at, and had dinner on the beach.

But, we also some more memorable moments, like getting seasick on a speedboat and having gas siphoned from our 4-wheeler in the middle of a ride.

And then..there was that near-death experience.

The sun was setting, and my husband and I were enjoying a walk on the beach. The waves felt refreshing against our feet, and before I realized what was happening, I was pulled away from my husband by a massive current. I remember losing my footing and ultimately, control of my body.  The force of the water pushed me backward, and I lost all sense of direction.

I came up for air and couldn’t hear or see my husband. I was just being pushed back and forth by the massive strength of the water.  

Suddenly, I felt an arm grab me and pull me…and then,  I was back on shore.  I felt confused.  What had just happened?

My husband later explained that while we were walking together, a large wave pulled us apart, and I was pushed into the ocean.  There were no lifeguards around.  He yelled out for help and out of nowhere, a man heard him, swam, and rescued me.

I could have died that day….but God saved me.

I could never have appreciated the sheer strength of the water until I was forced into it with no sense of control. In Job 38: 8-11, God reminds Job that it is He who sets the limits for the sea and decides where the waves should stop.

It is all God.  He is ultimately in control.

When I felt helpless and lost in the water, God was in control.  He created those waters…and He created me.  Nothing is a surprise to our sovereign God.  

When fear seems to swirl around us and we lose our footing, He pulls us up and leads us to the warmth of the shore.  Know that you can trust in a God who holds the waves in the palm of His hand.

-Betsy