Be Still and Know
It was one of those days. Nothing really hurt, yet she ached everywhere. It felt as if she were weighted down with the worries, cares, and angst of the world. It took extreme effort just to rise and get out of bed. All she really wanted to do was pull the covers over her head . . . and shut out the world.
She padded through the house listlessly--trying to overcome the sense of doom. As she walked toward the kitchen, she gathered a following. Behind her came the pup, then her dog. As she paused to look out over the pastures and count heads and tails of the horses, she felt the cat wrap around her legs.
Gently . . . quietly . . . woodenly she moved through the morning routine--checking food and water pans, preparing food, preparing for the day. The effort of motion was too much. She turned and went to her favorite chair, wrapped herself in her favorite blanket (made by loving hands), turned off the lights and computer, and just sat.
Her entourage settled around her. A dog at her side, both cats on her lap, and when she raised the feet of the chair, the pup jumped onto her legs. The all cuddled into her and held her in place.
The warmth of their bodies slowly thawed her frozen soul. The tears began to flow as their love warmed her being. She felt so alone. It was the anniversary of loss . . . of death. Within a short two weeks she had lost a sister, a father, a brother (in-law), and the father of a dear friend who had helped fill the empty place from the loss of her own father. While the deaths happened over several years, the dates clustered to a short time frame.
Her grief was deep and she just wanted to be still and feel. As her precious fur babies cuddled into her, she drew strength from the warmth of their love. They quietly held her in place and radiated their love.
Words and melody slowly filled her heart:
Be still and know that I am God; be still and know that I am God; be still and know that I am God. I am the Lord that healeth thee; I am the Lord that healeth thee; I am the Lord that healeth three. In thee oh Lord I put my trust; In thee oh Lord I put my trust; In thee oh Lord I put my trust.
As the ancient words of the psalm filled her with peace, the grief stilled . . . the sorrow became bearable . . . thankfulness for the love they had shared filled her with hope for tomorrow.
Sometimes in our busy lives, we simply need to be still so that we may know God. In the quietness of the moment we can soak in the warmth of God's love and allow it to fill our hearts and souls with the quiet reassurance that we are not alone. Yes we yearn for the arms of the ones we love, but in a quiet moment of contemplation we can feel their love surround us. Then we can face the challenges of the day.
God of quiet, help us to still ourselves so that we may hear you. Draw us closer to you. Fill us with your love. Reassure us of your presences. Help us to soak in the quiet strength and warmth of your love as we take time to know you are always with us. So be it. Amen.
Respond to this blog
Posting a comment requires free registration:
- If you already have an account, follow this link to login
- Otherwise, follow this link to register