Going to the beach is a blast! My family and I recently spent a week at the beach and had so much fun. The kids are at great ages of 6 (two months shy of 7) and 4 which made the trip even more enjoyable. The kids “hung-10” on boogie boards just about every day. We spent hours catching perfect waves. I considered it a personal victory if, from 50-60 yards out, I could get Ariyana all the way to the sand. For Maddox, it was challenging enough to keep him from flipping over … haha 🙂 … which, by the way, he did remarkably well at not capsizing.
A boogie board can teach life lessons?!
God has a way of reminding us of valuable lessons anytime, anywhere. This particular observation/lesson comes in the form of a simple boogie board. We are, forever, sinful.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24
A sinful sandy boogie board.
While Ariyana and Maddox were playing, they had the bright idea to cover their boards in sand. I’m not talking about, “oh let’s just toss some sand on our boards.” Nope. I’m talking a MOUND of sand. Buckets of sand were poured on their boards. The boards were so covered, that neither of the kids could lift them. Ariyana had to strain with all her might to drag her board down to the water. Once the board hit the water, it was instantly washed free of the sand by the crashing waves. The board was now crazy light and was a breeze for Ariyana to take back up the beach. She, then, brought it back up the beach and proceeded to cover the board with more .. you guessed it .. sand! This cycle repeated once more before she was tired of it and moved on to another task.
“Huh…,” I marveled, “isn’t that just like life.” Let me explain.
Replace the boogie board with your life. Now, replace the sand with your sin. Every day we are covered in sin. It spills all over our body, mind, and spirit. We can become so burdened by our sin, that it takes all our might to carry on through the day… just like a child pulling a giant weight across a beach.
A sinless clean boogie board.
Let us recall another part of the story. Ariyana dragged the boogie board to the water. When the board hit the water, it was washed clean. Did you get that? The board was WASHED CLEAN. Do you see the connection yet? 🙂 Replace the ocean with the blood of Christ. Just as the water removed the sand from the board, the blood of Christ is the only way to cleanse us of our sins. As soon as the board (our life) hit the beach (our day) it was covered with sand (our sin) again and had to be cleaned by the waves (washed by the blood) again.
PAUSE! right here, right now.
Let’s reread that last line again, but a little differently. The sin that invades our life every day, can and will only be destroyed by the grace and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I just got chills. Just as a little girl cleaned a boogie board, Jesus gave his life to clean our souls. When the boogie board was free of sand, it was easier for Ariyana to carry. The weight of sin is crushing. It feels as though we are lighter when we lay everything at the feet of Christ. As if a burden has been lifted.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
A word of caution
Do not get the wrong impression. It is easy to fall into the trap of, “it’s okay to sin, I’m forgiven and I can just ask for forgiveness and it will be fine.” While yes, you are forgiven, and yes, you should ask for forgiveness, it is NOT okay to knowingly commit a sin. But this is a much deeper topic for another day.
4 comments on “Boogie Boards for Life”
Thanks Zach!! Awesome post!!
Beautiful analogy of the sand representing wrongs. I agree that because we are saved. by Jesus sacrificing his life for our sins…it doesn’t mean we are free to be willingly be sinful over and over. I don’t believe that was why God sent him to us. Jesus was our teacher and saviour,..not a free ticket to be sinful. Very nice article Zach. We love what you are doing, as a Christian.