A New Song

Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.”

Early this morning I retreated to the patio outside our room at an inn near Walnut Creek, OH. It was a cool morning and, as I sat robed in a throw blanket on the swing, I heard the birds chirping their daybreak song of praise. In the distance I could see a neat white farm embedded in the lush, green hillside with black and white dots scattering the hills surrounding it. A few howling dogs added their notes to the bird’s song while the steady clip-clop of horses pulling Amish buggies added rhythm to the melody. As I pondered all the sights and sounds mingling with the sweet smell of fresh cut hay, I couldn’t help thinking about the simple lifestyle of the Amish.

I listened more closely to the feathered creatures’ song and it almost seemed as if they were calling a special message to me – Slow down! Slow down! Slow down! I closed my eyes and soaked in the gentle rays of sun that were just starting to shine and I heard God reiterate the song of the birds. “Slow down. Be still and know that I am God.”

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of modern life. There is always the next appointment, practice, or activity to get to. “Hustle! Hustle! Run! Run!” is the tune that we normally sing along with. The pressures of this kind of life are endless.

As you get older the stresses increase along with your increased responsibilities. The more responsibility you have, the more you must juggle to keep all the balls in the air. There is so much more at stake if you let any of the balls fall. The refrain of our culture’s anthem becomes, “Work harder! Work longer! Keep going or you will lose it all.”

My reverie was broken as a new melody broke out in another place. The clicking of a horse’s hooves pulling another Amish buggy reiterated the better lyrics – “Slow down! Slow down!”

Why don’t we all turn off the buzzing and beeping of the cell phone, the iPad and the computer for a while. Turn off the TV, cancel a few appointments, get rid of a few unnecessary activities or financial commitments that keep us running and harried. Stop crooning the world’s endless and exhausting song. Lift up your voice with the new strain, “Slow Down and know Who is God!”

Love,

Mama