“He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:2).
I love the woods because all is quiet there. Well, it’s not completely silent—there are sounds, but they are soothing. I hear the whisper of the trees, the “ree-ree-ree” of a chickadee, a gurgling brook. God orchestrates all these sounds to speak peace to me. I feel unhurried, calmed.
By contrast, humanity’s world is filled with constant, distracting NOISE. Speeding cars, roaring jets, blaring music, beeping alarms, babbling newscasters, even the incessant hum of my computer—all these suggest the rush of appointments, deadlines, bedlam, confusion, chaos… Stop! Let me escape to God’s quiet world.
Nature hums with gentle tranquility, just as God made it—untouched for centuries. The woods are the chamber where God waits for me. It is His world, made for me to enjoy. He calls me to the woods, and I go.
I think this quietness is one of the reasons Jesus often went out to the hills early in the morning to pray. There would be tiring miles to travel and hassling crowds to face later that day. But by first escaping the noise and distractions of “civilized” life, Jesus could more easily talk with His Father out in the wild. He needed quality time to give Him strength for the hectic schedule of His day.
I follow Jesus’ example. I go out to the woods.
Lead me to the quiet places, Lord, where we can talk together.