Silent Strength

Isaiah 30:15 -- "For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 'In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.' " [NASB]

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The door closed behind us with a quiet click. We made sure all the house lights had been turned off but for the warm glow of the little red truck lamp plugged into the boys' bedroom wall - just in case they woke up while we were sneaking around in the back yard. 

The tall oak trees loomed over us in the dark, Spanish moss hanging lifelessly from the lower branches in the stillness. It should be Halloween, I thought. The tiny amounts of silver light from the starlit sky gave the trees and eerie appeal like thinly clad giants waiting to pounce on passers by with boney arms outstretched. The light frost on the grass crunched under our feet - but we were not deterred. In sheer but quiet excitement Steven and I groped around for the old pic-nick table we'd picked up for a penny at a garage sale. Climbing aboard and resting on the cold pitted wood of the weather warn table top - we wrapped ourselves up in the blanket we'd snagged from the couch and in unison, looked up into the night sky.

The world was asleep. The only sound was the gentle smacking of the cows chewing cud close to the neighbor's farmyard fence a few feet away. We didn't say a word to each other but watched the sky come to life with the predicted annual Quadrantids meteor shower.

I was half tempted to wake the boys up so they could witness this splendor but decided to relish the alone time with my husband, instead. Besides, they were so young at the time, they would have probably just fallen back to sleep in our arms and we'd end up having to carry them back inside, anyway.

It's amazing how quiet the world gets at three in the morning. Steven put his arms around me to help ward off the January chill and with my ear against his chest, I could hear his heart beat. Strong and steady - just like him. I gathered strength there in our quiet togetherness. My spirit refreshed for another day of homeschooling small and energetic boys. 

In Isaiah it's explained to us that - in quiet and in trust rests our strength. Our peace and assurance is in the moments we can spend quietly with God. Too often do I argue with Him, plead with Him, or even yammer on AT Him regarding my hopes, desires, or dreams as I pray - but - it's in the simple quiet moments when I am most reminded of the Strength I can find in my Father. Only in the quiet can He tell me His will. Only when I stop talking and start listening am I able to really hear what He has to say. It's in those moments when I can really discover peace and rest.

Where can you go to hide away and spend a few moments in precious quiet? Do you allow for that - for the simple joy of sitting alone with God? I'm learning how very precious it is to do just that.