Bible Text: Psalm 23 | Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | Mary Southerland tells about visiting Amish country in Pennsylvania one summer. The Amish are a conservative Christian group who dress simply, they do their work without use of electricity, cars or tractors, and their homes are well known for simple furnishings. Mary said she enjoyed every minute spent in their carefully ordered world.

Wanting to buy a souvenir to remind them of these peaceful days, she and her husband began to travel down hidden back roads. Finally she spotted a small white sign that said “Amish Crafts” on the fence of a quaint house, its porch filled with lovely handmade items. There was a sense of peace just walking up the stone walk, where they were greeted by a woman with a beautiful smile.

The house was sparsely furnished with only the necessities, but the homeowner described her life with words like “calm, uncomplicated, peaceful and serene.” When Mary asked why she had chosen such a lifestyle, she responded with these words of wisdom: “I have discovered that when my life and my heart get too crowded, there is not enough room for God.”

What a thought to ponder! Mary reminds us, “It is so easy to relegate our spirituality to religious activity when all [God] wants is to spend time with us” Psalm 23 says, “He leads me beside quiet waters.”

If our lives are too crowded for God, they’re too crowded—period. If you want to change that, start spending time with the Lord; you may be amazed at the peace that comes to your heart. An anonymous poet wrote:

We mutter and sputter,
We fume and we spurt;
We mumble and grumble;
Our feelings get hurt;
We can’t understand things;
Our vision grows dim,
When all that we need
Is a moment with Him.

 

[1] Mary Southerland, ”For Women in Ministry: A balanced life—the impossible dream,” from www.pastors.com, March 20, 2004.