The usual ebb and flow of the waves is more of a constant on this windy day after the morning storms. The song starts at a crescendo and remains there. The bass thunders low, steady and nearly continuous. The ground rumbles under my feet as the water rolls like a boiling pot. The white caps go out for what appears to be a half mile and as they approach the shore there is more white foam than green sea. Once the bass has set the tempo, the treble moves in…splashing and rolling forward in a race to the sand. The descending sizes of waves create what almost looks to be a waterfall, or maybe shoals, with water spilling and cascading over from one larger thunderous wave into the next smaller one. And from that one to the next, with the sound getting progressively higher pitched as it goes to the lowest place. Each break reverberates and the sound works its way into me until my heart is part of the orchestra, beating in rhythm with the song. I can feel my soul settle into the rest the music brings and my spirit take flight to join in. On the shore, at my feet, the waves spend themselves fully and hiss as they create a lacy scalloped edge that leaves froth as the water recedes. The waves are not in long straight lines in this performance. They are instead choppy and at times crisscross one another making today’s song more staccato and mixed meter. The rhythm is a driving one, which does not follow the usual patterns of the ocean in some ways, but in others is as steady and consistent as ever. It is both beautiful AND wild.

If the waves are the instruments, the wind is the conductor who is directing the orchestra. It moves almost violently and changes directions often, hence the creative wave patterns. In this song the wind not only conducts but also participates as a principle player. It sounds like a wail and a whisper simultaneously. It blows continuously allowing the gulls overhead to play and float upon it. They dive for fish, or glide for fun staying with the theme of random consistency. They cry out in glee from time to time. They are the auxiliary percussion accenting the wind at the perfect spots…they are a planned part of the composition. The laughter of children is another accent which adds a lilt to the wind and lift to the tune.

The clouds, if they could sing, would be the choir. There are not many in this melody. A few wispy ones spread like butter across the baby blue expanse of the sky. They are hovering low, and add to the glorious backdrop for the complex composition, but do not overshadow it. There are not enough of them to cover the sun for any length of time, but the wind prevents the heat from stealing the show. The Song of the Sea is a song of love,and of grace, but also of power. That is the theme of today’s song…the churning, rolling, tumultuous, POWERFUL love of God. It is joyous, but to be respected. It is all at once safe and dangerous. It is beautiful and faithful, but also deep and mysterious. It breaks in cascades and flows in waterfalls and yet still seeks the lowest place…always seeking the place of humility. But do not mistake humility for weakness…the power of this song is that love is NOT weak. It is not invisible. It is not always quiet. It is loud and boisterous. It is a bit wild and unpredictable…in its predictability. A dichotomy? For sure, but that is the beauty of today’s song. It flows and when your heartbeat joins into it, the peace that results has me returning to the sea over and over again to find he who is the composer of the song. His songs always draw me back to him. It is worship…it is the Song of the Sea.