In the Forest With God | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: In the Forest With God | Previous Challenge Entry
By Brenda Buikema
07/31/09
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I took time today to be with God at the lake by myself. I quieted myself amongst the waves and the sea grass. Settled down in the grains of sand and was just quiet before the Lord. I was silent long enough to hear the whispers of nature all around me. I was able to escape to the Fathers’ place for a little while. Nothing compares to the love of God and when you take a minute to spend some quality time with Him; it's just awesome! He gives you a little bit of Himself and allows you sometimes to see things as He would. As a child we just know God is there but in our adult life we sometimes need to seek God’s presence.

After some quiet time with the Lord I began my journey back to reality. As I was walking up a sandy path I stopped in my tacks and before me not more than twenty feet was a majestic deer. She glanced at me in curiosity and then continued to eat. I edged a little closer and yet she stood still. I fumbled to retrieve my cell phone and began taking some pictures. I was like a little kid seeing a deer for the first time. I tried to keep quiet but I just wanted to shout, "Hey! Over here! I found a deer! Come and see!" It took all I could to keep me calm enough to be quiet. The adult in me knew I needed to be still in the moment which was before me.

I began to pursue the deer and she moved. I followed. She moved deeper into the woods. I kept following. Then she grew tired of the same old leading me and disappeared for awhile leaving me to search on my own for her. Soon I discovered her at the bottom of a ravine and began taking more picturers admiring her slender body and gracefulness. I was amazed at how she seemed unfearing of me yet attentive to my movements. The more I stalked after her the deeper she would go into the woods. Then when I felt I was pressuring her a bit I stopped moving. I stood still in the quietness of her presence and she began to move towards me! Her ears were perked and her tail was wagging, it was as if she wanted to come to me. Almost like she wanted to be beckoned by me but her nature held her back from creating a connection with me.

As I was in the middle of all this nature stalking, God was teaching me lessons. Let's look at this deer stalking differently, we will be us and God will be the deer. When we first come to God we are in awe, we cannot imagine what is before us. In our childlikeness, we want to run around telling everyone about our discovery. Next we pursue a relationship with Him, the more we search for Him in the midst of our forests, the deeper He brings us. As we grow up and become adults when we get too close to something and God knows we need to grow, He leaves us for a bit to wander around hoping we will begin searching Him out for the answers.

Once we discover Him again and give Him our full attention He begins to move towards us with eager anticipation of connecting. This is how it is with our God. He is always out there waiting for us to discover His glory and His beauty! When we quiet ourselves before His presence He can reveal Himself in ways we never expect. Our God is just too amazing to me and today He made it abundantly clear to me that we are to seek Him out amongst the forests of life. Even when we think we are alone He is right there in the forest with us waiting for us to find Him. Go now and pursue God like I did with the deer, discover God on your own. He is waiting for you.

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