By Rev. Larry W. Greiner
David,
eight years of age, was rushing home from school when he suddenly thought,
“I’ll go out to the farm to Grandfather.” The very name
“grandfather” was comforting. Hastily
David trudged the mile to the farm. It
was harvest time and Grandfather was returning from the hay field. Looking
keenly at the tired boy, he asked, “Are you in trouble, David?
Come with me. We’ll walk in the pasture and you can tell me all
about it.” As hand in hand
they climbed the pasture hill, David told his story. “It’s the war and
the awful stories I’ve been hearing. Why should such terrible things be?
Why does God allow it?” And
then the most terrifying question of all: “Was there a God?”
Some boys at school had scoffed and said there was none.
“Let’s
sit down,” Grandfather said. From
the hilltop they watched the sun drop below the horizon, as brilliant
colors flooded the sky. Grandfather said nothing.
Slowly the glory faded until the sky was a pale, far-off blue.
Grandfather remained silent. The
pale blue grew darker as the velvety night sky arched above them. One by
one, the stars came out. Grandfather still had not spoken.
The silence deepened until David became aware of a Presence that
was greater, more encompassing; and more comforting even than
Grandfather’s presence. The
silence was too wonderful to be broken.
Peace and assurance flooded David’s heart.
Finally
the sleepy chirp of a bird broke the silence. David looked at his
grandfather and said, “I know now. I
learned it in the silence. I know there is a God. I know things will come
out all right.”
Grandfather
then quoted God’s words in Psalm 46: “Be
still and know that I am God. God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble. Therefore
we will not fear, though the earth changes, and though the mountains be
shaken into the midst of the sea. Though
the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with
the swelling thereof. Come, behold the works of the Lord.
He make wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the
bow and cutteth the spear in sunder. He
burneth the chariots in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God.”
During
our hurried, worried
lives, do we take time to be still and know that He is God?
The noise and chaos of our modern society drowns out the silence
that reveals our God. When we
take the time to know Him in silence, we then will have hearts filled with
gratitude for who He is and for what He is doing in our lives, even in
suffering. Let us find
time this Thanksgiving Day to be silent and hear the still small voice of
the Lord and give Him thanks for all we have in Him.
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