Love for the Ocean

If you were asked what stops you from doing what you most desire, what would you respond?

We are complicated beings, there’s no doubt. We want to study, but we’re lazy and we get distracted with all sorts of things – watching Tik Tok or firing up the Playstation. We want to lose weight, but we get beaten by the yummy comfort foods that aren’t good for us. We want to work out, but we get cold and lazy, and a bad night leaves us out of shape.

Many things get in the way of us and what we want. But, you might wonder, why are surfers willing to battle the freezing cold water so early in the morning, against the laziness, the bad nights, the distances, the paddling, the wipeouts, and the bad conditions of hard and huge waves? What makes us face all of that just to surf?

Like one might say, “Only the surfer knows what it feels like.” This is the only way to explain it: it is about what you love. We have such a special love for the ocean and the waves; we’ve made a connection with the adrenaline and the thrill surfing gives us. It’s a strong bond of fondness that beats all the circumstances and bad conditions.

The same thing occurs when we talk about God. Lots of things distract us from getting closer to Him. Then, suddenly we find ourselves selfish, temperamental, harsh, or too bland, unfaithful, and the list never ends. Maybe deep down we fear that we will give up all of these loving and “fun” things, only for God to give us so many rules that take away our freedom of enjoying what we really want.

This is exactly what Jesus was talking about when He said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

What is your treasure? Clearly, it’s what you value the most, what you love. When you love something (or someone), you are willing to do anything to have it (or her/him) and nothing seems like too much a sacrifice to be able to enjoy what you love, for it fills you up and makes you feel good.

The thing is, many people come to God the other way around, like the young rich man who came to Jesus one day and told Him that he fulfilled all the commandments. Jesus realized there was something else he loved more and was preventing him from growth; in this man’s case, it was his wealth. So Jesus told him to renounce it, but the young man “went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19:16–22).

On another day, they asked Jesus what was the most important commandment and He cited the Old Testament, saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ... Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12: 28–31). 

To sum up: the key is in our heart and where we place our love, or in another sense, where our treasure is.

When Jesus came up to Peter after he betrayed Him and denied Him three times, He didn’t focus on his mistake. Instead, He asked Peter several times the same question: “Do you love me?”

Where is your heart? Where is your treasure? What do you love the most?

When you meet the Creator of the waves and He floods your life, like an ocean of infinite love, you’ll see the good it does us to be with God, living in peace, free of our selfishness. You’ll realize that the waves (and many things in life) will come and go, but His love for you is eternal and unshakeable. And you will begin to love God above all things!