Now the Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. Genesis 2:8
One spring morning, I was working in my backyard flower garden. It does my soul good to dig in the soil. A friend gave me a stone engraving I’ve placed in my garden. It reads, “How lovely is the silence of growing things.” So often we are caught up in noise and activity. But the deepest growth often occurs in the most quiet places. Places of silence and solitude provide an atmosphere in which we can hear the still, small voice of our Father. Following is one of my journal selections written in the garden.
Oh God, I take such joy in planting, growing, and gazing on the beauty of my garden. Quietness and peace attend my soul as I work in the garden, pray, or simply gaze at the work of your hands. Living things, growing, alive, reaching for the sun, multiplying, coming back after pruning—it’s all so amazing to me, so enchanting, so full of life—so full of you. It’s easy for me to find you here.
I think we all need spots where it’s easy to find God. Or at least easier. Places where the veil is thinner between the seen and the unseen. Places where the light from the spiritual realm is a little more noticeable to the eye.
We need quiet places where the noise of the world does not so readily drown out the music of living. Places where the call of the wren, the coo of the doves, and the wind in the leaves soothe our souls, still our hearts, and remind us of the magic.
We all need places that submerge us in tranquility, rather than activity. A place to sit, to be, to listen. Maybe it’s a chapel, or a prayer room. Perhaps a couch in the loft or a study. For me, it’s the garden. Peace is the order of the day, the message of the moment whenever I enter. A place to wait, to rest, to quietly talk with God. One of the first things God did in his new creation was to plant a garden. Not just for himself—but a place to share with a man and a woman.
Quiet places. We all need them. Have you found your quiet place? It’s nearer than you think.
Oh Father, thank you for a place to meet with you. I am so grateful that you are still the God who walks with people in the cool of the garden.
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION: Mark 6:30-32
