Sam was enjoying himself. It was his day off and he was at his favorite place. He had found it one day totally by accident. He had taken a different route home from work when he spotted it. A footpath meandered through the woods towards the river. He had pulled over and checked it out. Pleased with what he found, he planned on coming back.
Now he was here. He had found a deep pool just below a bend in the river. It looked like an excellent fishing spot and indeed it was. A large oak tree stood on the bank’s edge and he was resting under it, waiting for his bobber to plummet to the bottom.
He was having a hard time staying awake. The sun was pouring over his shoulder and bouncing off the water in a kaleidoscope of colors. He could hear the water rippling over the rocks before it entered the pool. The only thing keeping him awake was the occasional bite on his line.
He had just finished unhooking a feisty bluegill and stringered it. He leaned back against the tree and took in his surroundings. He couldn’t help but notice the fragrant wildflowers that grew at the bank. He watched as honey bees circled, darted in, collected nectar, and made a beeline for their hive. A hawk was circling overhead, a muskrat popped its head out of the water, and he watched a squirrel race up a nearby tree. Downstream he watched a doe and her fawn come to the water to drink.
He loved the place. It was a refuge after a hard week at work. He couldn’t wait for Saturday to come. He needed some peace and quiet, a place to clear and refresh his mind.
He had just set the hook into another bluegill’s mouth when it happened. He had the uncontrollable urge to pray.
“Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful place. Thank you for allowing me to find it. It’s just what I needed after a hard week at work. Father, please help me to not take this place for granted. Or you! I need you.”
As he prayed a voice began speaking into his spirit. San knew it was God. He had heard his voice before. He sat back, closed his eyes, and waited.
“Sam, my child, I am here. I am always here for you. I am pleased that you like this place. You don’t know it, but I led you here. This place is for you. You will always find me here. I know you struggle at work and get frustrated. Sam, do not dwell on the negative, dwell on my promises and the positive. Sam, I love you.”
Sam was humbled by what he heard. He realized he had become negative in a lot of areas in his life. He began to contemplate his life and came to the realization his life wasn’t as hard as he thought. He had a good job, was well-liked in the community, and had recently met a young lady and they were dating. He was active in his church and helped when called upon.
All of this he dwelt on while basking in the sun. At peace, he fell asleep and awoke later totally refreshed. He packed his fishing tackle, grabbed his stringer, and headed for home.
Halfway to his truck he turned, smiled, and thought about his refuge.
“Thank you, Lord. Thank you for this place. If it’s alright with you I’m going to call it
“Contemplation Haven.” I’ll be back to talk with you again very soon. Count on it!”
June 25, 2023