"In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15
This scripture and the many more about quietness and trust have always drawn me. How I long for quietness in my soul. My inner life reflects the outer clammer of the world and the hunger for calm stability becomes a gnawing demand. I find tiny niches of quietness in my days… the early mornings before anyone rises and the night time wakefulness while the world sleeps but those glimpses are full of my own tiredness and, sleepy eyed, I find it difficult to fill the need.
Taking time off in order to be quiet has become a privilege in this century. It is therefore, with the deepest gratitude, that I sit in silence in the wild places of Namibia. Now that I have tasted quietness, I am convinced that it may never again become a luxury, put off, as for those favored few. Quietness is a necessity of the soul. Jesus often disappeared into the wilderness. He is our example in all areas of life. I realize that in order to quiet my heart in the midst of screaming noise, I must first learn to quiet my heart in the stillness of nature.
Riekert and I have spent two months experiencing nature… driving here and there, always seeking the next adventure. And then we, at last, came to the place of rest…
To sit still for more than 15 minutes without planning the next move, that is not lazing around, that is skill. And it's a skill long forsaken in our lives. Skills need to be learnt. Skills need time to master. I find myself determined to take the necessary steps to learn and master this life skill in the months to come.
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