Meeting God in quiet moments

It was one of the most beautiful nights. There are not many like it.  I would say that it came close to being perfect, only a few things could have made it better.  It was one of the most beautiful of nights.

What makes a night beautiful? To me it has to deal with silence, sight and weather.  Last night I stood out in a field in the middle of an oak forest, the wind drowned out any other sound, but in this field it was silent.  I could hear the wind above the trees, but it did not blow around me.  The moon was bright, no light was needed to see the soft snow of the cold night fall.  The snow twinkled as it landed on and around me.  It was one of the most beautiful nights.

In this moment, I cried out to God in worship.  It was Him and me, all cares and concerns had left me, and I turned to Him as God and praised Him.  I focused on Him and the balance of the power He holds, to create wind that would destroy, but safe harbors to guard us.  I focused on His great love for meeting me where there would be no distractions.  I focused on His provision of all my needs from my wife and children to the home and warmth He has given me.

I felt great joy in God’s love for me, contentment in my relationship with Him, peace at His forgiveness, and all of these provisions from God strengthened my faith.  It was beautiful not because of weather, although that helped, but what God was doing in my heart and in my faith.  I can imagine David, as a shepherd, feeling the same thing as he watched the sheep on the fields held the same feelings and remembered those times as he wrote the words of Psalms 100.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Worship the Lord with gladness;

    come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

For all that God has done for me, I turn in worship to Him.  It is His work in my life that strengthens me for the next day.  The memories of one of the most beautiful nights will remain with me, but it is not the weather that I will dwell upon; rather how God met me in those moments bringing me strength for today, courage for tomorrow and hope for all eternity.

Let us choose to focus on God’s goodness, His provision, His forgiveness, and how He meets us in the quiet moments.