The deeper sound of the conch shell

As I was again jogging on the beach this week, I was thinking about last Shabbat’s encouragement which reminded us that when we are fearful, busy, or distracted we often miss the bigger picture. At the very moment of that thought, I spotted a perfect conch shell, large and gorgeous, in the shallow waters (pictured here). Although there are many beautiful shells on our local beach, this type and quality is unusual. Our Abba had given me a rare, at least to me, beautiful evidence, a gift from His deep mystery, a beauty to treasure as a reminder of His Presence. By the perfect timing of finding the shell just as I had the thoughts of my last encouragement, it felt as though HaShem was hearing me at that moment, affirming those thoughts and perhaps ready to tease out even more.

I picked up the shell in amazement and, of course, the perfectly timed words “Kadosh, Kadosh, how holy is our God” played in my headset. As I jogged further and felt the flawless smoothness of the shell in my hand, I caught sight of yet another large, beautiful conch shell, the kind with little points around the crowned top! I ran toward the water trying to get it before it was swept back to sea, as I lost my footing, and almost lost my IPhone and myself face first into the oncoming wave!

As I regained my balance and backed up, I watched at the water’s edge for awhile hoping to be able to again see and pick up the new beautiful conch shell. After awhile it was clear that the ocean had taken it back which gave me pause to ponder yet another lesson our Abba was giving.

How blessed are we who know Him. We daily feel His presence and receive the many gifts He bestows. Our Abba is constantly blessing all, yet not all are aware of Him or perceive the blessings. Many live in daily pursuits without recognizing that all that we have is from Him, living without feeling the precious closeness of Yeshua or a presence beyond our own existence. The beautiful gift of the perfect conch shell from the sea was His way to remind me He is here, and to help me be inspired to share these thoughts, these encouragements, about the reality of God. I now understood that I was not intended to receive the second conch shell. The beautiful shell I was unable to take, the one that returned to the sea, was for another who will be His emissary, for another day, for future partakers of His holiness, perhaps for another person on the shore seeking closeness with His majesty, perhaps for another encourager of others.

Just as the number of shells on the shore, and in the sea, is countless, so too, are the opportunities we each have to share the truths of the reality of HaShem and the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah, who has come and will come again. I was given the beautiful conch shell I picked up as a reminder. The one returned to sea was to remind me that there are others, too, who are to be encouraged to spread The Good News. More gifts await, more blessings to be bestowed.

As I was smiling on the jog back, mulling over all that I had just learned, yet another beautiful, perfect conch shell lay squarely in the dry sand, this time not in the shallow water, but rather, directly in my path on the higher shore! Do I pick it up, or leave it for another? As is often the case when I have these times with our Abba, such a pointed follow up feels as an affirmation that I understood what HaShem was teaching me, as if He is saying, “Yes, you got it right, little grasshopper.” So was the second shell a small reward, the affirmation, a God wink for understanding the newest message? Or was I meant to leave it for the next person to treasure? If I picked it up, was I being greedy or was I meant to take it?

So I picked up the shell and brought it home. Looking at the two beautifully sculpted works of our Creator’s art, I felt doubly reminded to share the reality of God. I decided to pray about it. After several days of prayer, and quiet times of listening, this morning it became clear that I am to give the second shell to a particular person who will be blessed by it in even more meaningful ways. Sharing the love. That’s how our Abba ministers to us, person by person, act by act, choice by choice, all from Him if we listen.

I hope your eyes are open this week to the countless heavenly treasures He bestows, so much so that you, too, are encouraged to share His glory with others. As we look down, doing our every day tasks, He is in them. In the moments of fear and burdens, He is in them. In the sorrowful and joy-filled moments, He is in them. In each of those times is the treasure, so often unseen, the perfect gift of knowing Him, a gift too amazing to keep to ourselves.

Spread The Word.

Shabbat shalom.
Diane

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