Most of us don’t realize that almost half of U.S. territory is actually under water. These canyons stretch from north of Boston to South Carolina and are part of a fragile ecosystem supporting a rich diversity of life. As one scientist said, the ocean is the foundation of life on our planet and if we destroy it, we destroy ourselves.
The ancients understood the importance of the sea and the oceans. The Genesis creation story has the breath of God sweeping over the face of the deep, separating waters from waters. Looking out on our shorelines we see the vastness of the waters and they speak to the vastness of God.
Prayer for the Day
Touching a grain of sand, we feel the wonder of your creation, O God,
For the breath of your Spirit is found on the earth we tread.
As grains of sand slip through our fingers, we feel your presence, O Lord,
For we know washed back into the oceans, they contain your life.
Bless us, O God, as we safeguard the waters you called forth,
The waters stirring with more life than we can even imagine.
In the name of the One who walked by the seashore,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
To reach a port, we must set sail. Sail, not tie at anchor. Sail, not drift.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, President (1882-1945)
With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you are connected to the sea. No matter where on Earth you live.
Sylvia Earle, American marine biologist
In God’s hands are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are also God’s;
The sea is God’s for God made it, and the dry land formed by God’s hands.
O, come, let us bow and kneel, let us bend our knee before God our Maker!
For the Lord is our God, and we are the people of God’s pasture,
The sheep of God’s hand.
Psalm 95: 5-7