Silence In His Presence

I love to spend time with my parents, especially now that I live so far from them. It’s really remarkable how much you grow to appreciate something when you don’t have instant access to it on a regular basis. This is definitely the case with my relationship with my parents. Lately, the time that I spend with my mom and dad has been a little weird... good, but weird. For instance, last November, my parents came down from Nashville for my birthday. We stayed in a cabin on one of the large ponds at Oak Mountain State Park. There was no TV and no telephone. Can you guess what we did? Let’s see if our answers match up. My mom worked on a genealogy project, my dad read about Golf, and I wrote. For hours and hours we didn’t even talk! We loved every minute of it.

This week, my parents came down again to Oak Mountain to spend some time with me before they drive down to Florida. This morning we ate together and talked about our lives. Dad eventually left to play golf and Mom and I talked some more. Now, it’s after lunch time, and I ask you again: What do you think we’re doing? Mom is working on a project, Dad is reading about golf, and I am writing. We are loving every minute of it. Why?

I believe that when you love someone as much as I love my parents, that even silence in the presence of that loved one is valuable. Maybe you have experienced this. You don’t have to talk to enjoy and appreciate another’s presence when you share a deep enough love for one another.

I know that God loves me deeply. When I need to be reminded, I think about John 3:16 and that He loves me so much that He gave his only son to be executed in my place on the cross of sin. Since I realize how much God saved me from, I have an ever-developing love for Him. This love that I share with my heavenly Father leads me to want to spend time in His presence.

Sometimes I pray and I know that you do too. Many of us have been taught to pray since we were old enough to talk. But, have we been taught to be quiet in God’s presence from time to time? I’m sure that I haven’t. I’m actually part of the masses that are not entirely comfortable with the thought of silence. But, when I am able to spend some time in silence with my heavenly loved one, I know it is time well spent. I don’t always need to pray or listen for an answer. I don’t just need to spend time with God in response to a crisis or an event in my life. I just need to spend time with God… simply, quietly. Believe it or not, I love every minute of it.

Even as I write, my mom is still working on a project, my dad has fallen asleep on the couch and I continue to think about how my earthly relationships are so much like my relationship with my Creator. May you and I both continue to learn to celebrate His presence, even in silence and simplicity.