Sitting With Jesus

Just the other day I was reading in Matt. 13:1 where is says, “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.” The chapter goes on to say how the crowds gathered to hear Him teach, so He got in a boat and began speaking to them. I would presume Jesus got in the boat to make some sort of a “platform” to speak from to the people on the shore. It’s also a known fact that voices carry well over water. So in this manner He begins to tell the parable of the sower sowing seeds, but I got stuck on the very first verse. 

Jesus came out of the house and sat down on the seashore. Interesting—I like to go down and sit on the seashore. Hmm…Jesus likes to do some of the same things I like to do. Here’s the neat thing about the simplicity of the gospel—He is with me—Immanuel, God with us. It’s just He and I sitting on the beach. There has been many times where I have walked along the beach and could feel almost a tangible presence of the Lord. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. This has always been one of my favorite verses ever since I was a young girl. It was very comforting to me knowing that He was with me at all times. Maybe that’s why I really liked the verse about Jesus sitting beside the sea. On the surface, it’s nothing profound, yet it speaks to me that whatever I’m doing and wherever I am, He’s there with me. I don’t have to feel alone in this world.

So on those mornings when I get up early and go watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, I know that He is watching it with me. I also have a feeling that He likes to sit in those tall lifeguard chairs too, just like me.