Holy stillness

Holy stillness.....I went for a solo hike this morning. Now I did not break the first rule of hiking, do not hike alone, because I walked up the Quarry Road. Again one must be reminded that we only have one short paved road in Marble and that was not it.

Since I was alone I used the time to be with God. As I walked and I thought of someone, I would pray for them. But as I continued I began to be quiet and to listen. The scripture "Be still and know that I am God," echoed in my soul. I continued walking up the long hill but I allowed my soul to enter a stillness. Then it was as if the Holy Spirit spoke into my soul that it is not enough to be still but your soul should enter into a Holy stillness. I took a deep breath as if to breathe in more of the Holy Spirit and I began to listen.

The birds that were singing became hymns to the Holy One. The occasional breeze through the aspens and the firs became the accompanying music. The sound of Yule Creek running below became a praise of glory! I was part of this Holy Stillness. Then I began to see......

I looked at the beautiful wildflowers many of which I have learned their names: red paintbrush, white paintbrush, larkspur, fireweed and then those that I could not recall. In the Holy Stillness I realized that God knew my name. "He clothes the lilies of the valley; how much more would He take care of me." "Who am I that God should be mindful of me?"

The mountains in the distance seemed too grand for me with their peaks soaring into the heavens. I could not know all their crevices or reach all their summits. Is that not like God? He is too great for complete human understanding! Yet He loved us enough to send His son to pay the price for our transgressions. All powerful yet so very intimate if only we enter into the Holy stillness in which He calls us.

Yes there is stillness.......but God calls us into a Holy stillness. It is in this place that we truly enter the Holy of Holies! And like Moses, we come down from the mountain a different person.