Refresh My Heart

Refresh My Heart

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1

Today as I write, I’m in a big city, with traffic and noise everywhere. Perhaps like you, I’m not at a physical place away from the crush of daily demands. But I’ve found that no matter where we are, allowing ourselves one little window of time can do good things for us physically, help us reflect on what really matters, and most important, connect with the God who knows we’re busy but waits patiently for us. He calls us near so he can shine his love into our hearts, speak to us, and heal us.

For me, that time might come as I look out the window of an airplane at the billows of clouds below. Some days, when I’m back home in Oklahoma, I sit in the sunroom that looks out on a clump of tall trees. One morning I was gazing at our collection of bird feeders hanging from the tree. Yellow, purple, black and white, and red miniature finches flitted from branch to branch. Blazing red cardinals, persistent woodpeckers, and chattering blue jays competed for a place at the feeders. The variety of winged creatures astounded me, each one different and beautiful in its own vibrant way. Looking at this microcosm, I was struck by the incredible variety of beauty God has created in the world around us. I’ve discovered if we pause a few minutes and look around, whether at the skies, which display his marvelous craftsmanship, or at a simple bird feeder in the backyard, we’ll realize again that the same God who made these feathered friends and hung the stars in the heavens shapes and forms each of us and cares affectionately and watchfully for us. Time to be still? We hardly can live without it. The everyday blessings God gives in those sacred moments will do wonders for our whole being and quiet our racing hearts once again. —CHERI

Father, thank you for graciously giving me pauses in my day and sacred moments to refresh my heart and mind.

Lord, make me see Thy glory in every place.

—MICHELANGELO (1475–1564), ITALIAN SCULPTOR, PAINTER, ARCHITECT, AND POET