On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. Matthew 13:1 HCSB
Each year my family goes to the beach for vacation. We all enjoy the beautiful white sandy beaches, the waves rolling in the beach, the seagulls flying overhead, and the sand crabs scurrying to find their hole in the sand. There is nothing much more relaxing than time at the beach. One of my favorite activities is to get up early to walk the beach as the sun rises. It is a great time to think, reflect, and talk to God.
I have read this passage many times but had failed to notice this verse about Jesus going and sitting by the sea. I have always just passed on over it and read about the large crowd that gathered around him and the parable that He told. I believe Jesus needed some time to think, reflect, and talk to God. I can just imagine Jesus sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee looking out across the blue water with its gentle waves. He may have even picked up a pebble and tossed it into the sea to see how many times it would skip across the water.
Challenge: Just as Jesus needed some time to think, reflect, and talk to God, we all need to take time each day to spend some time with God in prayer and reading our Bible. Take some time to just get away from the hustle and bustle of life to spend time talking to God and listening to His voice of direction and encouragement.