v. 13 – wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Devotional:

Have you ever watched a star wander? Where do they wander off to? When stars shoot across the sky, do they not just disappear into the black nothingness of space? With very potent visuals Jude reminds us here that nature teaches us much about how God works. He cares about details and He paints with a very fine brush to make sure everything is just as He designed it.

Whitecaps on waves show us many things but two things they give us is a way to perceive how tall the wave is, and when deep out at sea they show us which way the wind is blowing. When you know what to look for, this detail tells you much about the waters you are trying to navigate. For example, when large waves crash against a shoreline, they leave behind them a foam of sorts, kind of like a remnant until the next wave comes to wash it away and do the same. Just like waves we can sit and watch for hours, every detail reveals something to us about the God who created the ocean and purposed the waves.

In the same way, because God made us in His image, we have inherited His penchant for detail. What is underneath the surface spills out through words, facial expressions, and repeated patterns of behavior. In the case of Jude’s enemies, it would seem shame and pain were spilling out of them because of their chosen path.

The undertow of the current of our lives is very strong, and at times it can feel like a rip tide dragging us toward our destination. For many of us, we have pain or grief under the surface we have yet to deal with, and it’s pulling us toward a shore of loneliness. Others are harboring unforgiveness and just can’t release the wrongs which have been done to us.

Just like the way God designed the waves and stars, there is a created order for everything. All things that have been created by sin are heading in a direction away from God and His endless riches of grace while all things that have been given by grace are leading toward God and His enduring kingdom. There may be times in life when we feel like we are being pulled in both directions – like we are stuck in some cosmic tug of war – but the good news is that for the believer, the “foam of our shame” was cast upon the cross of Jesus Christ. Shame has left a remnant on the shores of our earthly existence, but the waves of Christ’s blood which washes away those remnants are washing away any shadow of shame that may exist.

May we not shy away from His waves of mercy but instead, may we run as fast as we can into them and let them wash us clean.

REFLECTION:

What pain, grief or unforgiveness do you need to deal with? How has the enemy been using shame to keep you from fully experiencing the power of the cross?