Carole L. Haines
Whom do I have in heaven but You? And with You,
I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish.
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me.
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
So that I may tell of all Your works.
(Psalm 73:25-28 NASB)
“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” This is a quote spoken by Bilbo to Gandalf in the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Have you ever felt like that? I had been feeling that quite a bit this past autumn. My favorite time of year, and yet I was feeling pulled in so many directions. It just didn’t feel like there was enough of me to go around. Hence the feeling of butter scraped over too much bread.
I realized that it’s okay to feel like I am not enough, because I serve a God who most certainly is. I wrote the following poem about that very thing. Hope it blesses you to read it as much as it blessed me to write it.
Can I just sit here God, taking You in
Autumn is upon us, and I am running thin
The fever heat of summer has left me feeling dry
With all Your glory ‘round me, You are my place to hide
Lord, I’m hiding in Your shadow, seeking shelter ‘neath your wings
The Raging winds can’t reach me, for on my door You are the hinge
Just listening in the silence, I find You’re close beside
Going to just sit here with You God and everything’s alright
God, can I just stay here where all is safe and sound
The sun filters through the golden trees scattering shadows all around
Life is harder in the everyday, wish I could stay here and retreat
Yet echoes of those who linger close are calling me back home.
Lord, I’m hiding in Your shadow, seeking shelter ‘neath your wings
The Raging winds can’t reach me, on my door You are the hinge
Just listening in the silence, I find You’re close beside
Going to just sit here with You God and everything’s alright
Are you feeling spread thin lately? Look to Your God who is enough! Get away with Him and rest. Spend time sitting at His feet and listening to His heart. Only He can be enough, and you will find Him to be Your comfort, your filler-upper, your refreshment.
But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me.
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
So that I may tell of all Your works.
(Psalm 73:28)
hisshadowings.com 