It’s always good to take short periods of time to pause in your daily life and appreciate what is around you. We usually call this vacation. But what our mind and body really need is a brief respite just to slow down and listen to the Lord.
During the past few weeks, I’ve had to pause my normal routine because of a concussion. The doctors tell you not to use your eyes. If you do, you will quickly stop when your headache intensifies. This means you spend a lot of hours without a phone, tablet, computer, or book. A pause that is harder than you might think. But if you don’t fight it, there are abundant blessings.
Jesus told his disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (1)
When mornings or evenings are cool enough to sit on the porch, I watch the activity in my garden. Sitting quietly, I observe the parade of birds at the feeder and bird bath. The hotter it is, the more they eat, drink, and bathe. I suspect many of the new goldfinches who have arrived are bulking up for a journey south. Usually, I have two pairs, but right now there is a flock. I love the bright flashes of yellow as they grab a seed and fly off to the oak tree in my garden. Even the females are a brighter shade of green this time of year.
The hummingbirds are energetic now to the point of being combative. They, too, are getting ready for a long journey. Some mornings, all I hear is their soft chirping and the buzz of their wings as they chase each other back and forth in my garden.
Solomon tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (2)
This is my time to pause and let the Lord heal my body and soul. This is a time to listen. A time to cherish the sweet rose scent emanating from the last burst of bloom of my English roses. It’s a time to meditate on the fragrance of Christ that comes with our witness to others.
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (3)
This has also been a time to watch the influx of colorful wings on my butterfly bush. They’re smelling the pungent fragrance of the blossoms, which are bursting forth as we head toward autumn.
So I have come away to my garden, a quiet place. I have found Him there, ministering to me and offering me His fragrant presence.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV
- Mark 6:31 NIV
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
- 2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB
