Father, the only thing I am receiving this morning is peace and confidence. It seems to be impenetrable, as if there is a plateau I am on that is above all else. As I sit in Your presence this morning, it is as calm as some of the lakes and rivers I would stand next to. Remember when I sat down on a stump at the mouth of the Escanaba River? It was a late fall day with the sun hovering over the treetops. There is warmth radiating from its last rays of the day, while the cool breeze of fall moved ever so slightly, not even to disturb the mirror-like finish over the water. The smell of fall is a fragrance familiar to me, one that cannot be created; and with the changing of colors, it only magnifies the moment of the season I am in.

I sit atop the stump on the edge of the water. It seems that I cannot move from this place; or is it that I do not want to move? A set of mallard ducks fly just over the surface of the water. Next to me is my canoe, loaded for the days’ journey I had prepared for. I know in my head that I should be moving along; there are traps to set, beaver houses to check on before the ice completely covers these waters and the snow blankets everything. But in my heart I do not want to move. I cannot move; the majesty that is before my eyes has captured me. Overwhelmed by peace, I cannot take enough of it in, so I wait, allowing myself to remain in this place as it saturates every fabric of my being. Even my carnal nature is settled, raptured within the moment I am experiencing. And while I may not fully comprehend the fullness of the moment, I am satisfied.

When I bring myself back to this place, when I am quiet and allow You to move past my own personal frailties, I let the walls of inhibitions come down. Here is a safe place. What I felt on that day – although I did not know it then – was Your presence. Now I can see and understand why Your Son went to the deserted places. It was there that He was unobstructed by the events surrounding Him, only to be with You, face to face. When I was sitting on that river, You were there, revealing to me later that it was You I was feeling, completely absorbed in that moment of time.

This was to be the first of many moments You were revealing Yourself to me. Because of those times, I came to know that You were there every moment of my life. As each time and event is brought back to my memory, I am overwhelmed and consumed by Your everlasting thoughts toward me. Can a mere thank you be enough to express how I feel about You? Is it in me to reveal the way these moments have changed the course of my life? How many lifetimes would it take to share what is inside of me?

So I choose to remain here with You. And while I know now that there will be changing seasons in my life, You will not change. With such an expression of love toward me, I continue along these waters of life. It is good, Father, to be here.

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 Mike Worth is a member of New Day Community Church. Mike, and his wife Mona, planted a church in the Summerville area in 2004, pastoring that church for 8 years. Both he and Mona have been involved in ministry since 1995. Mike has also worked in the foundry industry for well over 30 years. Currently, Mike is working on several books with the current book, “Closing the Church Doors…With Honor.” Mike and Mona has two sons, with one grandchild on the way.