Comfort
March 9
Psalm 46:10
He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
What does it mean to be comforted, to feel comfort? Many things can offer us comfort; the loving embrace of a mother or father, our favorite food , a favorite chair or object, a spoken word, the whisper of the one we love, a smell or memory, silence, the warmth of a fireplace, something new , money etc. The list could go on and on. For a child, like my great nephew comfort is simply found in his ‘Tabby.’
As he rubs his eyes he looks up and says, ‘Tabby?’ To anyone in the room who isn’t family they would question this request but the rest of us know what he wants. He is tired, a long day for this two year old. He wants his favorite blanket that has tied tabs all around its edges, ‘Tabby’. It is his go to item when he is tired, or hurt, or missing mommy and daddy. Once in his hands it is drawn up close to his check. Tiny little fist clutched around a single tab of the blanket as he holds it close. All is well, all is right once ‘Tabby’ is in his possession. My precious two year old great nephew loves his ‘Tabby.’
Most children have a favorite item that gives them comfort in their greatest time of need. Something that offers security and wraps them in a feeling of love. An item that is precious to them and irreplaceable. The world of a child is uncluttered and much simpler then our own as adults. If only a small token such as a blanket or stuffed animal would comfort us. As adults we have a tendency to surround ourselves with things, material things, that we feel will comfort us. And yes, they may offer us physical comfort but that runs dry and we seek another items to deliver what the other could not. Seeking comfort from material things is a futile endeavor but it doesn’t seem to stop us.
If only we could still ourselves long enough to listen to what our mind, body and spirit actually need and desire for true comfort to rest upon us. If we could move away from the quick fix and search for a deeper longer lasting solution. I wonder where it would lead us…be still and know I am God.
Turn off your phone, the TV. and the MP3 player. Sit down, lay down, and just feel the weight of your body. Sense each part, and relax each muscle. Seek the connection you long for and you will find comfort. Breathe deep, in then out, clear your mind and just listen to your own body. In the stillness you will find what you seek. Be still and know.
Prayer: Almighty God, you wait so patiently for us to return to you. You remain, it is we who wander. Help us to seek you for our strength and comfort in all things. Silence our busyness so we may be still and know you. In our daily life blanket us with comfort and grace. In your precious Sons name we pray. AMEN.
The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
Maya Angelou, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes
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