What fantastic stories we read in our scriptures today! Psalm 107 is one of my favourite Psalms, describing various situations people have found themselves in, including those who ‘reeled and staggered like drunkards’ as their ships were tossed around on the high waves, but ‘they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress’. In each situation God is revealed, bringing about an attitude of gratitude.

The sea never ceases to delight me. Until I moved here, I only ever got to glimpse it on days out to the seaside or on holidays. Living near the sea has given me new perspectives. I notice how it looks different every hour of the day - not only due to tides but to the wind, rain, clouds and sky, the way the sunshine plays upon it to bring out wonderful colours, or to make the waves sparkle and glint. I love seeing people paddle or swim in it, ride the waves on surfboards, take out boats, or take pictures of its hidden depths beneath the chalk reef to share with us. And it feeds us too.

I am also in awe of the sea, of the power in the waves to destroy ships, of the rip tides which can pull people away from the shore, of its ability to overpower us. I think we are all ever grateful to the RNLI volunteers and the coastguard who are willing to brave it, to rescue those who find themselves in difficulties.

Verses earlier in the chapter set the scene on the story we heard from Acts. The winds had been against the party which had Paul amongst its prisoners, making their way to Italy. They had already been sailing with difficulty. Paul warned them not to go on, as not only the ship and its cargo were in danger, but also their lives. They took no notice, thinking that the ship’s owner and the pilot knew better. And so they set out, only to be met by the storm. We can imagine how they felt when the cargo and ship’s tackle had been jettisoned and they were being pounded by the storm, for three whole days and nights under dark clouds. They had lost hope of being saved. But Paul had faith in God. Paul, a prisoner, was the one who encouraged the crew with God’s message - Paul, whose self interest might have seen a good opportunity to escape so that he wouldn’t stand trial! He was ready to go on, as it was what God called him to do, and to minister to his captors along the way. God was revealed in the situation.

I believe that God is revealed in many ways. It seems to me that the nature of the sea reveals a great deal about the nature of God. God never ceases to delight me. I love the way God works through people, who are sometimes aglow, sometimes stirred, at other times calmly spiritual, with faith and a joy in their hearts which reveals God. We interact with God in so many ways - not only through prayer and worship and the scriptures and communion, but also through observation of other people and of every aspect of creation. Whenever we draw near, we glimpse new aspects of the nature of God. There is an awesomeness, a recognition of power and greatness and unfathomable depth.

It was important that Jesus was seen in his lifetime to have command of the sea, that God was and is revealed through him. In our reading, he brought his disciples through their time of distress.

‘Peace! Be still!’ is a vital message for all of us to remember, whenever we’re tossed around by life’s ups and downs. Our fear is overpowered by faith, by the strength of God’s love for us. It becomes awe as God is revealed, which inspires an attitude of gratitude is us - one which remains every time we see the sea. Amen.

Julie Rubidge, Lay Minister