In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:2
Near the farmhouse where I was raised there flows a winding, shallow creek. As a young boy, I would often sit on the bank and watch the silvery water move noiselessly through the pastureland. Twigs and leaves would float by. Some would get blocked by bushes or rocks but eventually find their way around these barriers and continue downstream. I imagined them to be stately ships on a mighty river sailing off to exotic lands. In the restful waters my spirit found repose. When angry waters rage in floods, storms and hurricanes, and destruction is visited upon us, people say: “God is trying to tell us something.” I hear the voice of God more clearly beside restful waters. Like the floating twigs and leaves, we are on a one-way journey. God’s quiet grace helps us around the barriers toward our final destination.
Loving God, in quiet moments we can hear your whispering voice.
Fr. James McKarns
Originally published July 22, 2012
