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“He sat down in the ashes” after his whole life had crashed. — Job 2:8
The ocean is an amazing place to be. The power and majesty it holds demands respect. I was privileged enough to spend a week at the beach, resting in God’s creation. As the week passed on, the ocean grew more and more angry as a tropical depression moved in.
On the last day I was there, I sat just observing and listening to the sounds of the great waves beating the shoreline. In the midst of the crashes, I could almost hear the roar of God making His presence known. I’m certain, if given the chance, I could have sat there all night listening to Him.
While sitting there, I noticed a little sandcastle a small child had built earlier. He was so very proud. I remember him chattering to his family to “look!!” But now the huge swells were crashing down on the little castle, washing it away in a single moment. I couldn’t help but think of Job 2:8. Satan wouldn’t let up on Job, convinced he could get Job to sin against God. As Job’s whole life seemed to crash around him, leaving him sitting in the ashes, he still praised God. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” (Job 2:10)
How often does life treat us like the waves crashing on that little sandcastle? If you’re like me, you have experienced a few moments sitting in the ashes while your whole world seemed to crash around you. But unlike the sandcastle, if you have surrendered your entire life to Jesus Christ, you will ultimately rise above those waves. Only through Jesus. Only through His strength. Only Jesus.
Lord, have mercy… 
I’m studying Jude this week and this came to mind in reading your post:
What has happened is certain people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license – which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master…
They’re —
Puffs of smoke pushed by gusts of wind;
late autumn trees stripped clean of leaves and fruit,
Doubly dead, pulled up by the roots;
wild ocean waves leaving nothing on the beach
but the foam of their shame,
Lost stars in outer space
on their way to the black hole.
Eugene Peterson’s The Message from Jude verses 4 & 12-13
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That is really powerful. Thank you for sharing this.
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Reblogged this on Scott Knowlton's Blog and commented:
“If you’re like me, you have experienced a few moments sitting in the ashes while your whole world seemed to crash around you.”
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If you sit in those ashes to long it turns to depression and darkness. When you look up and set your eyes on God he will pull you up. When you get pull up on your feet again, people say on your so strong. Your really not strong your weak but God puts the peace that’s passes all understanding in your heart. And you get the joy back.
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