Doug Creamer: Slow down

Published 12:00 Saturday 26 October 2024

Doug Creamer

Today I had lunch on the porch. After a cool start to the day, it was a comfortable warm day. I enjoyed reading a good book by one of my favorite authors. The story progressed at a pleasant, leisurely pace. My lunch was already over, but I didn’t want to stop reading, so I continued a little more.

I started to get up and go into the house, but stopped. I had things to do. Instead, I sat down in a chair. I took a deep breath. What a beautiful day. The leaves rustled as a light breeze blew. The golden rays of the sun reflected in the changing leaves. It was peaceful and quiet; I heard birds singing and crickets calling in the still afternoon air. The wind moved and brought a few leaves that fell onto the grass.

I inhaled peace and exhaled the worries and expectations of a busy day. The cardinal flew up and chirped. I admired my neighbor’s fall decorations. I resisted the tug to get up and leave. I sighed quietly again. I sipped my tea and let my eyes and mind wonder. The autumn sun hangs lower in the sky, allowing longer shadows to dance across the lawn. The cloudless blue skies of the Carolinas radiated beauty. How do we miss such miracles throughout the day?

My body eventually left the porch, but my mind continued to linger. My thoughts remained calm. I reflected on this experience as I sat down to begin my column. My prayer for His guidance was not born out of panic due to lack of an idea, but rather out of the comfort of His peaceful presence.

Slow down… Breathe… Turn off the noise of this world… It waits and wants to be discovered. God wants us to find Him… God wants us to connect with Him… The problem is not on His side, but rather on ours. He is waiting for us to come into His presence. He wants us to draw closer. He longs for us to turn our eyes to heaven. He wants to refresh us in His presence.

Do you feel the Spirit drawing you? He doesn’t ask for your time. He asks you! God wants to get closer to you! He’s not too busy, but you are. He is not far away, but you are. His presence is not chaotic, unlike yours. His presence is filled with love, joy, peace and hope. He longs to share the peace your soul deeply desires. His world is available to you if you just slow down. Breathe. He’s with you!

We can find everything we need to live in His presence. In His presence there is fullness of joy. In His presence there is wisdom for every situation. There is provision in His presence. In His presence healing and restoration occur. In His presence there is love and acceptance. There is protection in His presence because He will fight for us. In His presence there is a peace that will calm worries and worries. In His presence we can slow down. In His presence we can breathe.

The world around us will become more and more chaotic as we get closer to His return. The Bible makes it clear that it will end up being incredibly stressful. We have a choice: we can allow the madness of life to push us away from His presence, or we can allow His presence to crowd out the madness of the world. His presence is with us now. He wants to take the burden of this life off our shoulders. He wants to calm our nerves. We must open the door and let Him in. We need to slow down…breathe.

I want to encourage you to find a quiet place and invite Him to come in. All my life I have called the time I spend with Him “quiet time.” I learned that He would visit me during quiet times and while I was sitting on the porch, walking, resting, working, or driving. I must invite Him in. I have to open the door. He wants to contact you. He wants to lighten your burdens and give you His perfect peace. He wants to provide for all your needs as your Heavenly Father. It’s up to you! You have to slow down and open the door to Him. I encourage you to slow down, breathe, and open the door of your heart to Him.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or [email protected].