....know

Be still and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10

A woman was the mother of ten children, the wildest kids you could imagine. The father traveled extensively in his work, so she was, for all intents and purposes, raising these kids alone. The poor woman's life was unbearable.

A minister from the local church heard about her situation and called on her.  Seeing their small house and the behavior of the children, the man's heart went out to her. He tried to provide what little help and support he could. The minister offered the woman a playpen that someone had donated to the church. The distracted woman, who had never heard of a playpen, nonetheless welcomed the gift.

Sometime later, the minister saw the woman at church. With tears in her eyes, the mother thanked him for the gift. "That playpen has saved my life!" she said to him. "It's marvelous. Every afternoon at three o'clock, I jump into the playpen with a book and the children can't get to me."

Like this poor harried mother, we all need that "out of the way" place to re-center our lives on the things of God. Like Jesus, who rose at dawn and went to a deserted place, we must create our own "out of the way" place. 

An early morning hour before the rest of the house rises, a brief visit to a church during lunch, the last few minutes each evening before retiring. It can be a time for quiet prayer, for reading the Scriptures or for reflecting on the words and insights of some of the great spiritual writers.

Finding that "out of the way" place, creating within our day that "sacred time" to be alone with God can be the source of insight and grace that will illuminate every place and moment of our lives.

- david langerfeld