Quiet Places

Do you ever find yourself in need of a quiet place?  Where do you go?  What do you do when you get there?  How do you feel when you leave? 

This past Sunday afternoon I found a quiet place in my own backyard.  I came home from church, and then in the middle of the afternoon I decided I wanted to go sit on the swing in the backyard and do some knitting.  The swing is in the back corner, where I can see my patio and all the flower beds I had worked hard in the day before.  A rose bush was in bloom beside the swing.  Birds were singing in the popcorn and sycamore trees surrounding me.  The quiet sounds of a lazy Sunday afternoon in the neighborhood soothed me.  The breeze blowing felt wonderful on my face.  I gently pushed the swing back and forth, enjoying the rocking motion, as I worked on my knitting.  The sun warmed my skin, until I had to move because it was directly in my eyes.  The peace and quiet were so wonderful!  I was relaxed and content...

Do quiet places and quiet times come before storms?  Do you think they are God's gift of peace to us?  Maybe a preparation for things to come? 

My storm came later that evening.   I was so upset I had to call a friend, who prayed with me and encouraged me.  I called my parents, who sympathized and counseled me.  I sent out requests for prayer a couple of days later, and received back wonderful words of promise, including a reminder from a great friend of the words from Psalms 121:1-8 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Last night after church I found the words of II Samuel 22:1-51 to be a great comfort.  Look at verses 47-51  "The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.  It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me.  And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.  Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.  He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore."

More importantly than finding a quiet place in my own backyard, I can find a quiet place, a refuge, a tower of strength in my Lord and Savior, at all times!