I wrote previously about how after we have walked with Christ for awhile, we begin to see patterns in the way He deals with us as individuals. At that time, I wrote of how God speaks to me through His creation. Until yesterday, I had forgotten one of the other ways.
I was looking for a recipe and pulled a cookbook that didn’t look familiar off the shelf. (That was because it was one that my husband had from his bachelor days.) When I opened it up, a postcard fell out. His mom had sent him a recipe and the front of the card had the following poem.
I Needed the Quiet
Alice Hansche Mortenson
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside,
Into the shadows where we could confide.
Away from the bustle where all the day long
I hurried and worried when active and strong.
I needed the quiet tho at first I rebelled
But gently, so gently, my cross He upheld
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things
Tho weakened in body, my spirit took wings
To heights never dreamed of when active and gay.
He loves me so greatly He drew me away.
I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,
But a beautiful valley of blessings instead –
A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide.
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.
From the book I Needed The Quiet, © 1978 by Beacon Hill Press
Until I read that, I had failed to remember that there have been several significant periods in my life when God has put me flat on my back (read: allowed me to be very sick) in order to get my attention. I’ve even talked with people in the past about how God will sometimes lay me out flat so He can get my attention when He has something really important He wants to show me.
So I was not only encouraged by the poem, I was encouraged by the reminder of God’s faithfulness to work, not in spite of the hard times but because He allows them on purpose. Not to hurt me, but because He loves me so much. We don’t think of pain and love as going hand in hand, but in God’s economy they certainly do. All I can think of is getting better, getting off these medicines that make me feel crummy, and getting back to “living life”. But in God’s plan to make me more Christlike, I am “living life” and probably living it more fully right now as I am forced to cling to Him than I would be if I were just going about daily life as it falls into place.
A verse that God has given to me on a few significant occasions is Joel 2:25. God is speaking and says, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – my great army that I sent among you.” The words that are circled in my Bible are in bold here. God controlled the locust and sent the locust for a purpose. It was an event that probably seemed destructive at the time, but was under God’s control and according to His purposes.
May we all rest in God’s purposes each day, even when He draws us aside because we need the quiet.
Living Simply or Not: A Tale of Two Families
Hello Sallie;
Thank you for this.
“He draws me aside to quiet..” applies to me. When I find my self reacting in frustration/anger I have learned to go to a quiet place (bathroom/bedroom, ect.) instead of ranting/yelling. In that quiet moment I am able to gather my thoughts, talk to Him, and encourage myself to wait a day. God leads me to quiet water and He cleanses my emotions.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it encouraging.
Sallie
This poem has remained so very special to me over nearly 40 years. I saw this poem the day my Dad passed away after a year of battling cancer. He was 62 and always very active and busy and a Godly man. This was a perfect remembrance and I purchased a plaque for my Mom and siblings.
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for sharing the story of why you love this poem. This post receives pretty steady search traffic so I think others also find it meaningful for various reasons.
I pray God blesses you and your family with continued wonderful memories of your Dad.
Sallie
Hello Sallie,
Your blog popped up with a Google search for the poem “I Needed the Quiet”. I actually have the post card with the poem on the front (in storage) a stranger sent me when I had an accident and was hospitalized. The sender was a neighbor and close friend of my great aunt. I was 23 years old, in FEB 1981. The poem spoke to my complacent Christian heart and was a catalyst for me to get right with God. I’m a writer and am writing about that experience now and needed to refresh my memory on the poem, hence my search I’m presently recovering from surgery on my left ankle due to an injury, and the Lord brought the poem and my event in 1981 to mind. I subscribed to your blog and am eager to hear from you, especially on current events. I’m socially and politically conservative, just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, a mother of two sons and their wives and six precious grandchildren. Two grands are twins 2 year old girls that live just miles away I have the pleasure of caring for 2 days per week, until accident. We live in N. Metro Atlanta, in what was country 30 years ago. We raised and homeschooled our sons here. We have a lot in common! Press on, my dear! Your voice needs to be heard! Sincerely, Vicki Davis
Hi Vicki,
It’s nice to “meet” you! Thank you for sharing how you arrived here. I always find it interesting to hear how God leads people to my website.
Thank you as well for the encouragement to press on. It truly is helpful to hear that kind of encouragement from others.
I hope you continue to mend well and can get back to enjoying your granddaughters soon!
Sallie