The moment brought to mind Is. 30:15
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."
Quietness? Honestly, I am probably more at ease with myself as a stump grinder...digging up roots of the past that regularly dump emotional or spiritual needle like clutter on my deck of life. Or better yet, lowering the sure blade of stump grinding truth to the roots of bitterness (Heb. 12:15) or anger so evident (to me) in others. It's sort of like there is this Christian life mandate, "Don't just sit there, do something!" True, faith without works is dead. But works without the sure confidence born out of moments of quietness and trust are sheer effort...the stuff of burn out, defection, loss of our first love, and unhealthy introspection. If our adequacy is of Him, then some Him time is not an option.
Back before the earth's crust hardened - my Seminary days - a well known evangelist spoke in chapel. His call was for us students to take our noses out of our books and "get our shirt tails on fire" witnessing to the teeming masses without Christ. The next day the chapel speaker was an older professor who had walked with God deeply for years. With a voice of dignity and heart he said; "Gentlemen, I want to speak to you today on the matter of 'The flaming heart versus the burning shirt tail.'"
God's word to His people was that quietness and trust produces strength.
Stump grinding time...most certainly. Porch time...absolutely essential. It is the spiritual porch time that sanctifies back yard stump grinding.
So, to survive, the porch awaits me, the coffee hot, the Book alive, the moments...priceless.
