I didn’t intentionally skip holy communion on the beach at Caesarea Maritima; but as my hiking boots crunched through tiny shells and stone pebbles, I saw a small glistening piece of green glass…glowing from the western sun’s reflection off the azure blue Mediterranean.

 

I first thought it was trash and almost didn’t stop; but when I leaned down and peered more closely, I smiled. Sea glass! A small treasure trove of glass jewels…sea foam green, pale aqua blue, amber-yellow, grey-brown and one large orb of etched white…all tucked in among ordinary wet brown polished rocks.

 

Pieces of what used to be ordinary objects…glass bottles and jars…shattered by who-knows-what life events…and then rough tumbled around in the sea bottom’s currants for years. Finally washed up to rest on the beach…an etched-smooth and jewelry-worthy unique orb of color. Repurposed for a new and different life.

 

I knelt and gathered, while the waves roared and the sea breeze whipped my hair across my face; and thanked the Lord for capping my last day in Israel with such a tangible joy-bringing blessing reminder:

 

…that the very Creator of the universe, whose Spirit is sealed within me, desires to renew and re-purpose my broken pieces.

 

Old to new…one day soon…

 

(Photo by Joy Floyd)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

 

for the old heaven and the old earth had

 

disappeared.

 

And the sea was also gone.

 

And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,

 

coming down from God out of heaven

 

like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

 

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying,

 

“Look, God’s home is now among his people!

 

He will live with them, and they will be his people.

 

God himself will be with them.

 

He will wipe every tear from their eyes,

 

and there will be no more death or sorrow

 

or crying or pain.

 

All these things are gone forever.”

 

And the one sitting on the throne said,

 

“Look, I am making everything new!”

 

Revelation 21:1-5

(Photo by Joy Floyd)