Enjoy your presence

        "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory, my mighty rock, my refuge is God." (Ps.62:5-7)
         Apparently, a literal translation of verse 4 is "Only toward God my soul is silence."  And here's what Tim Keller says: "When we are in trouble, our soul chatters to us, 'We have to have this, or we won't make it.  This must happen, or all is lost.'  The assumption is that God alone will not be enough--some other circumstance or condition or possession is necessary to be happy and secure.  David, however, learned to tell his soul, 'I need only one thing to survive and thrive--and I have it.  I need only God and his all-powerful fatherly love and care--everything else is expendable.'  When this realization sinks in, you will 'never be shaken.'"
          Don't we all know about that kind of disturbing mental "chatter" that can keep us awake at night, destroy our peace, and steal our hope?  Yes, there are times we simply need to be still, quiet our hearts and minds, and rest in God alone.  Sometimes, quite literally, that means we sit quietly in His presence, asking Him to fill us with a sense of His presence and love.  And He always will.
         I'm reminded of something my dear, sweet friend, Louise, shared the other day.  We were commiserating and laughing over our sometimes non-communicative boys.  We've both occasionally received this response from one of our sons, "Why do you ask so many questions?!"
         Our answer is always something to the effect--"Because we love you and we want to know how you are doing and what's going on in your life!"  Shockingly, our loving interest is not always super appreciated by our boys. Hard to believe, isn't it?
        But Louise said what she'll often do is just go sit quietly in the room where her son is while he's busy with a project.  When he asks her what she wants, she tells him, "I know you don't want to talk right now and that's totally fine.  I just wanted to sit here quietly and enjoy your presence."  Smile.
        I loved that...and I'm going to remember it.  You know, there are times it's nice to simply sit and soak in the presence of those we love without saying one word.  As someone who too often feels the absurd need to fill every empty space with words, I really needed that reminder from my gentle friend.
       Yes, silence contentedly shared with our loved ones can truly be "golden."  And if it's true of the people we love, it's even more true of our Heavenly Father, in whose presence we're told is "fullness of joy." (Ps.16:11)
        Ole Hallesby wrote a number of years ago: "There come times when I have nothing more to tell God.  If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said.  At such times it is wonderful to say to God, 'May I be in Thy presence, Lord?  I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence.'"
        Oh Father, thank You for the gift of Your presence.  Thank You that we can sit and abide in Your love and enjoy Your fellowship, even without speaking one word.  Remind us afresh of Your tender love, great grace, boundless compassion, and endless wisdom.  In You, our hearts find rest, restoration, and revival.
          Today, simply enjoy His glorious and good presence.  To God be the glory.