In Quietness and Trust
The fog was still rising when we loaded our boats and pushed off from shore into the Buffalo River. The river valley was still waking up. The sun shone on the tops of the hills, illuminating warm fall colors in the trees, but had not yet made its way down to the river, which was still saturated with cool colors of sleepy stillness.
We paddled silently down the river, which was as still as glass. The mountains and sky were perfectly reflected in the water like a mirror image. The only ripples in the water were made by our paddles as we silently stroked through the crystal clear water. I was comfortably silent as I listened to my paddle rhythmically enter the water and then drip, drip, drip as I pulled forward to stroke again. I watched smooth rocks glide by three feet below me, but the clearness of the water seemed to magnify it all so that I felt like I could reach down and touch the small fish swimming by. The whole river was covered in a thin, majestic mist, which I could see in front of me downriver; however, as soon as the bow of the canoe reached it, it seemed to instantly vanish. Although I could no longer see it, I knew we were paddling right through it because I could almost feel it as I took silent breaths.
Overwhelmed by peace and beauty, my thoughts drifted toward the Maker of it all.
"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
This was only one of many majestic moments that I encountered this past weekend on our traditional Buffalo River float trip every autumn. This time, I went with dad, friend, and little sister to enjoy four days of stillness and beauty in the wilderness. Over the course of those few days, I spent a lot of time in joyful fellowship, encouragement, laughter, and story-telling with those special people, but I also spent a lot of time in silence and rest. Together, we experienced an intensity of beauty that can only be felt, not described, which often left us in utter awe and silence.
We watched majestic bald eagles soar near us and perch above us, their white heads shining among the yellow and orange tints of the trees, which glowed when the sun shone through them. We climbed to a remote bluff to see the Ozark mountains spread out before us for miles and miles. We watched the embers glow in a dancing fire as we listened to the river babble and drank warm cups of hot chocolate and coffee. One morning, we watched a doe cross the river in the rising fog, stopping to drink every now and then, perking up her ears and looking our way whenever we accidentally shifted our weight or made the slightest noise. We listened to coyotes howl to the moon during the night, and we slept on a gravel bar while watching a sky full of stars like I have never seen before.
It is in moments like those that you watch in silence. You stand in awe. You let your heart whisper, "Glory", when you can't help but think about the amazing God who created it all and is reflected in it all.
"We can wonder about the stars as much as we like. But the truth is, they were made just for us," my dad said. "Just because He loves us." Creation is not primarily functional; it is primarily beautiful. When you listen closely, you will hear the trees clapping their hands and the mountains singing for joy (Isaiah 55:12). The eagles' cry and the coyotes' howl praise God. The vast sky, every sunrise and sunset, every wispy cloud and rising mist - it all exalts the Lord of all lords. When we are silent, we hear even the rocks cry out.
There is a time to be silent and listen, but then there is a time to join in their worshipful song. I realize that I need to go into the wilderness every once in a while to listen to creation's song so that I can re-tune my own life. However, I don't have to go into the wilderness to experience that peace, that solitude, that beauty. For as God's glory resides in the wilderness, it also dwells in every believing human heart.
His reflection shines on the still waters, but also on our faces. His brilliance is displayed in the starry hosts, but also in our lives. His creation shouts His praise, and so must we.
Isaiah 30:15 says, "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'In repentance
and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.' "
We paddled silently down the river, which was as still as glass. The mountains and sky were perfectly reflected in the water like a mirror image. The only ripples in the water were made by our paddles as we silently stroked through the crystal clear water. I was comfortably silent as I listened to my paddle rhythmically enter the water and then drip, drip, drip as I pulled forward to stroke again. I watched smooth rocks glide by three feet below me, but the clearness of the water seemed to magnify it all so that I felt like I could reach down and touch the small fish swimming by. The whole river was covered in a thin, majestic mist, which I could see in front of me downriver; however, as soon as the bow of the canoe reached it, it seemed to instantly vanish. Although I could no longer see it, I knew we were paddling right through it because I could almost feel it as I took silent breaths.
Overwhelmed by peace and beauty, my thoughts drifted toward the Maker of it all.
"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
This was only one of many majestic moments that I encountered this past weekend on our traditional Buffalo River float trip every autumn. This time, I went with dad, friend, and little sister to enjoy four days of stillness and beauty in the wilderness. Over the course of those few days, I spent a lot of time in joyful fellowship, encouragement, laughter, and story-telling with those special people, but I also spent a lot of time in silence and rest. Together, we experienced an intensity of beauty that can only be felt, not described, which often left us in utter awe and silence.
We watched majestic bald eagles soar near us and perch above us, their white heads shining among the yellow and orange tints of the trees, which glowed when the sun shone through them. We climbed to a remote bluff to see the Ozark mountains spread out before us for miles and miles. We watched the embers glow in a dancing fire as we listened to the river babble and drank warm cups of hot chocolate and coffee. One morning, we watched a doe cross the river in the rising fog, stopping to drink every now and then, perking up her ears and looking our way whenever we accidentally shifted our weight or made the slightest noise. We listened to coyotes howl to the moon during the night, and we slept on a gravel bar while watching a sky full of stars like I have never seen before.
It is in moments like those that you watch in silence. You stand in awe. You let your heart whisper, "Glory", when you can't help but think about the amazing God who created it all and is reflected in it all.
"We can wonder about the stars as much as we like. But the truth is, they were made just for us," my dad said. "Just because He loves us." Creation is not primarily functional; it is primarily beautiful. When you listen closely, you will hear the trees clapping their hands and the mountains singing for joy (Isaiah 55:12). The eagles' cry and the coyotes' howl praise God. The vast sky, every sunrise and sunset, every wispy cloud and rising mist - it all exalts the Lord of all lords. When we are silent, we hear even the rocks cry out.
There is a time to be silent and listen, but then there is a time to join in their worshipful song. I realize that I need to go into the wilderness every once in a while to listen to creation's song so that I can re-tune my own life. However, I don't have to go into the wilderness to experience that peace, that solitude, that beauty. For as God's glory resides in the wilderness, it also dwells in every believing human heart.
His reflection shines on the still waters, but also on our faces. His brilliance is displayed in the starry hosts, but also in our lives. His creation shouts His praise, and so must we.
Isaiah 30:15 says, "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'In repentance
and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.' "
Comments
Post a Comment