“Be still, and know that I am God (Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am Elohim!). I rule the nations. I rule the earth!” Psalm 46

These past few days have had a decidedly autumnal feel about them. “Autumn,” for those who may be wondering, is what they call this time of the year in England (or what pretentious people in the USA say instead of fall!). And this – constant rain and piles of soggy, slippery, leaves – is much more autumn than fall, exactly what I remember from my growing up years in the U.K.

For all the dampness and gray skies, there’s a subtle beauty you can’t miss if you take the time for more than a quick glance, and look deeply into the trees.

Just invest a moment or two; take your coffee out onto the porch, pause for 60-seconds or so, and breathe it all in. But it’s far too easy – and essentially a reflex in our culture – to be on the fast track even when we don’t need to. In fact, it’s arguable that hurry even works as advertised? Do we ever really need to zoom around in such frenetic haste? Personally, I’m considerably more productive – and effective – when I don’t rush.

PAUSE: I believe I’ve talked about this before, but I always begin my day with deliberate, unhurried, nourishing time in the presence of God. That means not only when I walk the dog – meditating on a verse of scripture – but also sharing a few devotional moments with Rebekah at the breakfast table. Then, once again, pausing to talk things over with The Source of any fresh ideas I may tap into on occasion, when I go into my study to get the ball rolling with my day’s work.

Far too often, I fall back into the old trap, and act as if I believe I’m too busy for prayer! Other stuff is just too pressing, so I can’t/won’t set it aside for this deliberate time of sorting things out with my Creator. And so I rush headlong into whatever deadline has worked its way between me and what is really important. Typically, however, by the time an hour or two has passed I find myself struggling, and I realize that my creativity and productivity is compromised by my haste. Fact is I’d have accomplished more – and better – had I paused for those moments with God.

Dreary day or not, hidden treasures of beauty are always waiting for us if we just take a few moments to insert some circuit breakers into our hectic lives. The healing beauty may be an expression of love from your spouse you otherwise would have failed to notice; it may be a revelation of truth from a verse of scripture; or it may come simply a sweet visit from God, a breath of air from the wings of the spirit, as God reaches out to touch you with refreshment and calm.

God is the pause that refreshes, that reenergizes, and that yields amazing results – DEREK