“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.” (Psalm‬ ‭24:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Only two days ago I posted on Facebook how I am still paddling through an endless sea of paperwork. Between the estate and the Veteran’s Administration, my mailbox, desk and dining room table are continually flooded. This morning I read this in Dr. Wood’s book on the Psalms.

“He who formed the earth upon the waters is able also to create solid ground for your life where there has been none.”

What an encouraging word to wake up to!

I have had this mental image of a hurricane over the waters of my life, pretty much since those first few moments at Dad’s ICU bedside last May. The skies rolled in dark and I could hear the thunder cracking as Dad was bleeding and breaking and a sterile machine was breathing for him. I started paddling that Friday evening with all my might, the deluge of rain and wind was disorienting, but I was determined.

He died six days later and I gave up on paddling out of the storm. I was reduced to bailing buckets of water out of my dingy as the gale winds gathered force. I’ve spent nearly a year, now, bailing, my arms are finally lean and strong from all the work. I’m weathered by the long months at sea. I no longer hate the storm with every fiber of my being, instead I respect what it might produce, what I’ve already seen this pressure system carve out of me. I’ve stolen moments of rest when the rain lessens and I’ve learned how to brace myself again when it gains momentum.

All this time, in my mind, the storm could only conclude one of two ways; the breath of heaven might mercifully blow it away or I might eventually drift out from under it.

But Dr. Wood’s truth had never occurred to me; dry ground might grow beneath my boat as it did for Noah! It’s not impossible, God has grown the ground before! It’s in His nature to alter the landscaping to His liking and Kingdom benefit. The thought gains momentum; storms are never as strong over land as they are over water. The land He grows could break up the weather system altogether.

I close my eyes and I can see it, how He’s growing new ground beneath my boat. I can tell already, the terrain from here forward will be different. Not bad, just different. Maybe even good.

“God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Lord, we trust that You are growing new ground beneath us. I believe that it is a ground that You have grown us for. I even have the audacity to believe that it will be a fertile ground because it is new from You. Amen.