....sun

Maggie the Wonder Dog has a morning schedule that's set in stone. She sleeps until I get up, goes outside for a few minutes, grabs a bite or two of kibble, then heads to the upstairs screened porch to await the sunrise.

This morning I awakened at a rediculous hour well before 4 am. I checked the time, groaned, but got out of bed anyway because I was wide awake and there was much to be done. After chocolate and oatmeal, I headed to my quiet time spot and went to work.

As usual, Maggie headed to her quiet time spot, too. It was dark as pitch outside. She sat down on her perch to wait. Thirty minutes passed. No sunrise. An hour, then an hour and a half. Still no sunrise. Finally, she bumped the door to come inside. Maggie looked thoroughly confused as she sat on the end of the bed and stared at the window. I imagined her asking, "Sun, where are you?"

She noticed the first hint of dawn before I did and was off the bed like a shot, bumping the door to the porch with her nose. Her sun would rise this morning after all.

She loves to watch the sun at its morning work and is willing to position herself and wait for the show. Friends, if we were as enthusiastic about The Son at work, I wonder what majesty we might see. Would we position ourselves (through prayer, Bible study, obedience, service) to see the Son do His beautiful work? Would we slow our busyness, be still and wait long enough to see His holiness?

When the psalmist wrote, "Be still and know that I am God" maybe he struggled with the time pressures of shepherding and protecting his flock. I believe he knew one important truth. We will never have the intimacy God desires nor glimpse His beautiful work when we travel through life at the speed of sound. It is only when we sacrifice our busyness to be still before Him and still our hearts to hear His gentle voice that we begin to experience all God has planned. Be still. Know that He is God. Wait expectantly for what He will do.

The sun will rise and God will move.

Take a step closer:

1. Are you too busy to hear from God? 
2. Do you feel distant and frustrated, as if He's somehow failed to do His part? 

Pause and consider. Maybe the problem is your own busyness.

Take a moment or two to be still. Clear your mind of its to-do list, open your Bible, read, and allow the words to soak into your heart. Be still. Know He is God. Watch for His hand at work.

The Son still rises. We miss it when we fail to watch and wait.

Grace and peace on your journey of faith,

-leanna