A Quiet Place

This week has been extremely noisy for me. A little over a week ago, we woke up to a leak in our upstairs bathroom. Water had seeped into the floors and walls, causing a lot of damage to a first floor hallway and into the garage. That meant calling in a professional cleaning team to dry out the floors, ceilings, and walls, a process that includes huge, loud fans blowing 24 hours a day. It is like sitting over the wing of a 747 with the engines roaring full blast. It's hard to hear yourself think, let alone talk to someone else.

Later in the week, we had the joy of keeping our 19-month-old grandson overnight for the first time. It was a pleasure we had planned for over several weeks. The noise was so loud, we felt it better for Connie to take Brody back to his house and care for him there. He did come to the house the next day, but we spent a lot of time outside between rain showers.
The next day, a dear friend from Florida came for a scheduled visit and brought her two elementary-aged boys with her. We love them all to death, but the added noise of young energetic boys increased the decibel level even more. It was becoming more than this guy could handle. I finally went into our bedroom, closed the door, and sat silently. No fans, no children, no tv, just quiet. It was a piece of heaven and was needed so much.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” - Mark 6:31 (NIV)

Life is filled with noise. Sometimes, the noise is literal, as I have just experienced. Sometimes, it’s the demands of family. Sometimes, it is the requests of our employer. Sometimes, it’s the tension of an inner struggle that you just cannot shake. Your spirit is crying out for a quiet place.

Jesus offers us the same invitation that He offered His disciples in our text. Go away with Him to a quiet place and rest with Him. Moving to a quiet place with Him, in all the noise of my life, was a spiritual healing process. God gave me the strength needed to persevere. As I write these words, the kids are sleeping, and I have had my coffee in peace. The fans are still blowing, but they will be turned off in about an hour. There is hope, and I will survive because of my quiet place with the Holy Spirit.

Is life becoming too noisy? Take the time now to go to your quiet place and allow Jesus to help you rest.

Where is your quiet place? If you don’t have one, listen to God’s voice, and He will give you one.

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