My friend Pauline Stringer penned the following masterpiece of prose and passed it along to me. I previously posted the poem, Sweet Hush of God, that Pauline refers to. I'm adding it to this post for those who didn't read it before. Great work, my friend!
Enfolded in Love
Taking a stroll down memory lane can often lead a person into the nooks and crannies of their most favourite places. For me, that journey back in time is graced with the pleasure of settling down into an old, cozy wing chair nestled into the farthest corner of my family room. I am transported back over a decade to a much younger, (and thinner, I might add) me. No longer is my hair speckled with gray; nor does my face harbour any wrinkles. I am a young mom. The old chair is an oasis, a resting place from the unending activity of raising five small children close in age. It is a place where that which is simple delights the soul. To slowly sip a cup of coffee in the early morning light, to read a treasured portion of Scripture, as if seeing it for the first time or to daydream of exotic places yet unseen are the gifts the chair offers me.
The most prized moments come, however, when one of my little ones sneaks downstairs to crawl onto my lap just to be alone with me as the sun rises. In my usual custom, I wrap them up under my housecoat, cocooning them in my love. There they lie, relishing the warmth of my arms around them, sometimes drifting back to sleep to the rhythm of my heartbeat. Such precious remembrances are those cuddling times shared between mother and child, where hugs and kisses flow. Pure bliss!
At eveningtide, that priceless, old chair would once again be my refuge after the whirlwind of another day. Tucked away in my corner, I would sit longing to talk to God, yet far too weary to formulate the words I knew He was longing to hear. It was at this point, when the house echoed of quietude, my babies fast asleep, that God would visit me right there in my chair. Only now, it was I who would climb upon His lap where He would tenderly enfold me in His robes of righteousness, drawing me close to Himself. Often, feeling the need, I would make another deliberate attempt to articulate something, anything in the form of prayer. Then I would hear God’s gentle “Shhh.” Closing my eyes, I knew no words were necessary, only His embrace. The sweet hush of God! In this intimate bond, I knew I was His child. Once more, the old chair offered to me its simplistic joy. I loved God and He loved me.
The following poem was penned many years ago to capture the essence of these precious moments. As you might have guessed, it was written in the blessed solitude of my favourite
chair.
Sweet Hush of God
In the stillness
Where I find You
There I know You
And I love You;
In the stillness
Of Your presence
Where I find
My hiding place.
Sweet hush of God,
Sweet hush of God,
Breathe on me now
Sweet hush of God.
In the stillness
I will listen
To Your heartbeat
I surrender.
In the stillness
I will trust You
As You enfold me
In Your love.
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