Love Like an Ocean

Living in a city like Virginia Beach, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Chesapeake Bay to the north, and many lakes, marshes and tributaries interspersed, I cannot help but love the water!

I enjoy painting scenes of the beautiful moods and wildlife reflected in the water. I’ve posted some here for your enjoyment.

Water is symbolic of many things. It evokes memories of favorite songs and verses.

Do you remember the song “I’ve Got Peace like a River”? The first verse is about having “peace like a river in my soul.” The next verse goes: “I’ve got joy like a fountain…” with the last verse: “I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul!”

When I think about having the love of God fill up my life like an ocean, I immediately think of Ephesians 3:17-19:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Wow! That’s a lot of love! Imagine if you allowed God’s whole love for you to entirely fill up your soul till it was overflowing! How would that change the way you see and respond to life?!

That’s why we need to come to God and drink daily from him, the fountain of every blessing, until we are truly satisfied.

“Ho everyone that is thirsty – come to me and drink,” God invites in Isaiah 55:1 (my paraphrase).

I invite you to come into God’s presence today and let his love wash over you like a tidal wave, reaching every part of you that is thirsty and needing to be filled up! He will make you glad you did, and He’ll give you, like the song says, the peace and joy along with the love, as a bonus!

("Late Afternoon Marsh," "Surf Play" and "Splashing Fountain" shown above. To view other water-themed paintings, visit my art site at www.LoisGalloArt.com.)