Hosea 1:10 – Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." (ESV)

During the summer holidays, we were away with the children, staying near the beach at Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire. There are long, straight, sandy beaches hardly used outside of the town. We had a lovely time playing in the sand, eating ice creams.

Since we have returned home, I believe that God has used that experience to show me, in my remembrance of our time there, how He is pouring out the Holy Spirit, using the beach as an illustration of His love for us.

All those within the kingdom of God may be compared to the myriad grains of sand and small pebbles on the shore up to the high water mark. Then, I saw the tide coming in as an analogy of God's bringing in the tide of His Holy Spirit to wash over Christians, totally immersing them in His cleansing love and feeding their spirit.

No matter how deep in the sand we are, sooner or later, we are going to get saturated. Some on the surface are going to get moved about, polished up, and in the process of interacting with others, become beautiful and shiny to God as the waves of the Holy Spirit crash in upon us.

Those not in the kingdom, above the high water mark, are left out in the dry, blown about at the mercy of the winds of the world.

Some of us, like me, have been around for a quite a bit and have heard tales about occasionally seeing the miracles of God — signposts to the kingdom in their season. If I am right, I sense a more all-encompassing presence of God to move and overwhelm and bless His children.

So, to all who are thirsty, whether we get to heaven first or not, I say: expect to be blessed soon!

Prayer: Lord, may Your glory fall and may we be overwhelmed by Your holy presence. Please fill our inner temples and the churches by the movement of the Holy Spirit to bring restoration in our time. May the grace, peace, love, and joy of the Lord be evident in us, through all that You take us into today, that our lives may be testimonials to Your amazing love for us in good times and bad. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Rod Marshall <roderickhenrymarshall@gmail.com>
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
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