Walking by the Sea

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. Mark 1:14-28

Last night, the ocean was so loud and insistent I thought it might be bringing in a storm. After living so long by the ocean, it constant roar and song rarely disturbs my sleep. For those who have never lived by the sea, it can be a startling and disturbing noise as it is both loud and constant. I think of it more like a lullaby. I have grown up by the water and it is the sound of home and comfort. The ocean is where I go to center myself, reflect and walk. I look forward to the days when I can walk on the beach again. Maybe the ocean woke me to tell me I was missed.

Jesus walked by the sea and found his family - his support team, his friends, the ones who would go through every day, every challenge, every bitter conflict, side by side with him. He took to the ocean and found strangers who would become immediate friends, companions and would carry on after he passed on. He found by his side the feisty and intense, the faithful, the constant and the loud mouth, real people who were real friends and real disciples. He did not seek out fancy, credentialed, politically correct or fashionistas to be his friends but rather, real people who are the best real friends.

Today I am grateful for all of my friends, those I met as a child by the ocean and all those I have collected across the years. I am grateful for all the feisty, silly, brilliant and in your face folks who have made me their friend. And I am thankful for knowing that Jesus seeks real people as followers - not the perfect and beautiful, but the real, tender passionate goof-balls - who carry the love of God to the world.