Our Pastor
Back before refrigerators, people used ice houses to preserve their food. Ice houses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen thick and hard, large blocks of ice were harvested, hauled to the ice houses on sledges, and covered with thick layers of sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the warm summer months.
A worker once lost a valuable watch in one of the ice houses. He searched painstakingly for it, carefully raking through heaps of fragrant sawdust, but simply could not find it. He enlisted the help of his fellow workers, but their efforts also proved futile.
But a small boy heard the disgusted remarks of the watch owner as he was passing by. Unnoticed, he slipped into the ice house during the lunch time break. He soon emerged, triumphantly holding the watch, and handed it back to the delighted owner. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it.
"Well, I closed the door," the boy replied, "lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking."
In our "hurry up or get left behind" society, there never seems to be enough time to listen for God, does there? We somehow expect that the sermon on Sunday, or a quick verse or two and a 30 second prayer will help us to become wise and mature Christians. But for all our efforts, we simply end up echoing Job in Job 3:26: "I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."
Sadly, the comments of God in Isaiah 30:15 are as true today as they were when they were written: "This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.'"
The real secret of being quiet in God's presence is not proper time management, but proper heart management. A few chapters later, Isaiah writes that quietness in God's presence is a byproduct of having a right relationship with God: "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest." [Isaiah 32:17-18]
The people who God calls "my people" are the ones who live a life of righteousness, loving God and serving Him. It's not hard to spend time with someone you love; in fact, you can hardly bear to be apart from him or her.
As you continue to develop a right relationship with God as His child this year, spending time with Him will become easier and easier. Instead of rushing around trying to schedule Him into your daytimer, you'll hear the still small ticking of His heart as you get your heart and life right with Him.
Pastor Roland has been married to his lovely wife Karen for 37 years, and they're the proud parents of three sons, and very proud and doting grandparents of five grandchildren.