Although inanimate it breathes. Inhale. Exhale. Rhythmically it's bellows swell and deflate. Without a mind it has moods: peaceful, playful, or angry. It tricks you, it soothes you, it grabs your ankles and pulls. The ocean is wild, it acts like a living thing.
In all of its phases the ocean reflects God's waves of mercy. They may be small and subtile; just lapping at your toes. They can be giants rushing miles into shore, completely changing the landscape as they go. Or they can be surprising, catching you off guard; soaking you from head to toe. Waves of mercy... Thank God they keep coming.
But the ocean as powerful as it is cannot go past its determined limits, "He hath compassed the waters with bound..." (Job 26:10) Ellen White says, "A homeless wanderer, reproach and penury His daily lot, He lived to minister to the needs and lighten the woes of men, to plead with them to accept the gift of life. The waves of mercy, beaten back by those stubborn hearts, returned in a stronger tide of pitying, inexpressible love. But Israel had turned from her best Friend and only Helper. The pleadings of His love had been despised, His counsels spurned, His warnings ridiculed." (GC 20)
Israel was unmoved by the tide of God's love. Heaven forbid it happen to us. Are we embracing the daily waves of mercy? They come as blessings and rebukes. They gladden our hearts and cross our flesh. Oh, they come and continue to come, but "He hath compassed the waters with bound." As great as the wave may be it cannot go past the stoic heart. Waves of mercy only affect change where they are accepted.
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