Walking to the pond on one of my earliest trips, my eye spotted this bench. The landowner must have put it together from logs he found on the ground. I walked over to it, sat down and began looking across the pond. I just needed to get away from the world for a little while. I began to ponder over little things at first, unimportant things; I would muse over funny things, and ponder the why’s of life. As time went by I realized my soul was starting to find rest, my mind was slowing down, and my spirit was feeling calmer.
I was in God’s creation and His spirit was working within me. There is just something about being out in the solitude of creation. The quiet, the warmth of the sun on my skin, a slight breeze blowing and suddenly a smile starts to creep across my face. I felt the presence of the Lord with me. Of all the people who know me, no one knows my heart and soul like my Lord. He knows my struggles, my weaknesses; He sees the good, the bad and the ugly and in His great mercy, loves me anyway.
Sitting on this seat looking out over the pond, I began to ponder this great love and I began to feel strengthened. I thought, yes, I can face the world again because with Him, I can do all things. With Him, I can love the unlovable, I can show grace to the undeserving, and I can face challenges that come my way because He has loved me and has shown grace to me. I can re-enter my world again and face what comes my way because He will show me the way. As I got up to head back home, I looked back at the seat and was thankful for it giving my body a place to rest but more importantly the rest my soul experienced while sitting there. It was as if I had just been in church and that seat was my pew.
As great as that seat is, there is a better one to look forward to. Paul describes this image in the second chapter of Ephesians, explaining that the spiritual blessings we have now are eternal, not temporal.
‘And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Jesus Christ, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Second Ephesians 2:6-7
1 comment:
I loved this bench...sorry when it was destroyed, by either the neighbor kids or the elements...and I felt the stresses of this day lessen as I read how you felt when you sat on this very bench. I've been there and I could feel it too...only I never have sat there for very long...the dogs would be running around me, splashing in and out of the pond, chasing a rabbit, or trying to dig out of the brush pile something they heard...it is a very beautiful and peaceful place...thank you for taking me there again...
Post a Comment