Where Is That Place For You?
There is really no place on earth that I find more peace and serenity than at the ocean. Whether it be mid-summer, with the beach filled with people, or as it was this past weekend, empty and quiet. Whether it be “in season” with nonstop chatter of people enjoying themselves and the smell of suntan lotion wafting through the ocean breezes or the winter months, with the only noise being an occasional seagull overhead and the predominant smell being that of the sea breezes.
Not too long ago I saw this short poem written by Christy Ann Martine – “Dance with waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.”
My wife and I find quietness and calmness and rest at the beach, regardless of the time of year. It is truly our happy place. This past weekend we went to Ocean City, Maryland. For mid-February, the weather was balmy – somewhere around 50 degrees. We walked on the beach, as close to the water as we could. We walked on the boardwalk. We sat and people watched. We enjoyed a dinner on the intercoastal waterway side of the island just as the sun set. The stresses of life seemed to disappear for those few days. My brain, still struggling after a stroke, found calmness from its chaos.
We also experience God’s presence at the beach. When we were planting a church in eastern North Carolina, we went to the beach almost daily, often simply to pray and commune with God. These days we do not live as close to the beach, so those times are not as frequent. As my wife and I quietly walked hand in hand on the cool sand this past weekend, we had a conversation with God, talking to him while also taking time to simply listen. In those moments, the beginning words of Psalm 37:7 come to mind – “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” And staying in the Psalms – “In the multitude of my anxieties, Your comforts delight my soul” (94:19, NKJV).
In a world spinning faster and faster and out of control, it is more important than ever (and it was always important) to dial it down, unplug, and spend time in the presence of God. There is re-centering, re-focusing, re-aligning in His presence. There is also rejuvenating, recharging, repurposing.
Scripture is filled with verses telling us that Jesus knew the importance of getting away and spending time with His Father – very early in the morning and while it was still dark (Mark 1:35), lonely places (Luke 5:16), alone on a mountainside (Luke 6:12).
It does not matter where your solitary place is. What does matter is you have a solitary place where you can be with your Lord, away from the noise and distractions of the world. Spending time alone with God allows us to focus on Him and hear His Word. Abiding in Him helps us enjoy the intimacy to which He calls us to. We come to truly know God when we spend time with Him.
Where is your happy place? Where is that place of rest for you? Where is that place you go to simply enjoy the presence of the Lord?
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