Sometimes, life feels like a run-on sentence with no pause or punctuation. Meaning gets lost in the proliferation of words and works.
I’m running along a worn, routine road and exhausted. I must discover a way to slip off the beaten path and find a still moment, to pause at the water’s edge where I’ll find God walking.
Soon, I veered down a tangled path, overgrown from far too little use. It wound to the water’s edge—calm and beautiful. I breathed it all in, closed my eyes, and sunk to my knees, letting the silken water run through my fingers. It washed my fear away and refreshed my soul. I knelt to drink deeply of these living waters so that the river of my life could run deep and still. My life is turbulent when I allow the world to set my course and bash me about the rocks at full speed, dashing from one thing to the next. Its surface is unable to reflect but a distorted image of God’s grace, power, forgiveness, and love.
I opened my eyes and was suddenly caught off guard by the beauty around me that, in my hurry, had gone unnoticed earlier. Each flower was intricate and ornate. Towering pines struck silhouettes against the brilliant blue sky, and the wind softly said, “Be still.” I looked up to see God walking, as He promised, and I sprinted to catch up. He slowed, and His smile pierced my soul. He knew all and yet still loved me.
I slipped my hand into His weathered grip—my forefinger traced the scar etched into His palm. We walked and talked about my day, and I released my concerns into His care. The wind caught my words. They became more ethereal, and the weight of my anxious thoughts lightened in His presence. His voice was gentle and reassuring and rang clear.
The water of the Word, the wind of the Spirit, and the calm of His mighty presence restored my soul.
Are you exhausted and running along a routine path? Take time to be still with the one who loves you most, to read His Word, and to lay your concerns in His mighty hands.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and LUM3N.)
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Nora Carman spent twenty adventurous, challenging years as an army wife. After thirteen military moves, including Germany, Brazil, and the Mojave Desert, she, her husband, and two children now calls San Diego home. Here she has assisted with a Bible study and ministry for military wives in the area. Currently she serves as a Care Minister with Stephen”s Ministry, which walks alongside people in difficult circumstances. She has worked as a patient liaison, tutor, and substitute teacher. Among her favorite things are time together with family and friends, long hikes, and feeling at home.