The Distraction of Distributing DisplacedTurtles

But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Instantly, Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. “O man of little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”  Matthew 14:30-31

Walking on the beach is one of my favorite activities in Florida each year. My brother and I were on one of our three-mile hikes that day. The Gulf glistened with sun sparkles, and the breeze was warm enough for me to remove my jacket. Typically, we have the beach to ourselves this time of year, but we noticed a crowd gathering on the State Park beach. There were orange police tapes strung perpendicularly from the water’s edge up towards the parking area, and cars were beginning to gather. Curious about what was happening, we stopped and inquired about the event.
It turned out this was no ordinary day. It was Sea Turtle Release Day, a concept I had never heard of. I was familiar with protecting sea turtle nests, and the thrill of watching the hatchlings make their way to the water. However, this was February, and nesting was still a few months away.
I knew this part of Florida had experienced an unusual cold snap. There were freezing temperatures and several inches of snow. The water became too cold for the sea turtles, causing their body temperature to drop to dangerous levels. Many washed up on shore. During this time, teams rescued as many turtles as possible. They took them to nature centers, where they were cared for. The turtles would be returned to the Gulf when they recovered, and the weather improved.
This was the day! Rumors were circulating that thirty turtles were to be released, and then it was one hundred; before the day was over, they released over three hundred of the rescued one thousand turtles on this little beach alone. And we got to witness this!
It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Trucks and jeeps came in loaded with turtles in large plastic crates. There could be one to half a dozen in each crate, depending on the size of the animals. Some larger ones required two to four volunteers to transfer them safely into the water. Each person placed two hands on either side of the turtles’ shells and carefully lifted them from the crate. One after another, they carried them down to the water’s edge. Some turtles were still stunned by the events, while others flapped their fins, ready to dive when they hit the water.
It made me think about how I respond to Christ when He answers my prayers and rescues me. Sometimes, I’m like the stunned turtles. Remember the disciples on the boat in the storm, paralyzed by fear and crying out for Jesus to save them but doing nothing. I can be stunned and doubtful when I see Jesus approaching me on the water, just like Peter, as Jesus gently calls me to trust Him.
I prefer to respond like the Samaritan woman who ran back into town and excitedly shared the news of Jesus with all she encountered. The turtles flapping their fins before they hit the water reminded me of her, running and trusting Jesus.
Have any challenges paralyzed you recently? Jesus is there for you, offering you time to heal like the turtles.  But once we have healed, He gently encourages us to trust Him as we step back into the world. Unlike the turtles released into the sea, Jesus doesn’t leave us alone; He stays with us on our journey.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your faithfulness. For seeing my needs before I realize what they are. Please help me to trust you when the future seems unknown. I know you love me and have a plan; grant me patience in times of strife and wait.  Amen

To receive these devotions in your email-https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e0h6w2