As a child I always looked forward to visiting my grandparents. They didn’t have a variety of toys or games to entertain a child. They didn’t even watch television very much. But they did have something that I grew to enjoy. My grandparents were in possession of that relic of times gone by: the front porch swing. I remember with fondness just sitting on my grandpa’s lap swinging gently and noticing how peaceful life seemed to be. It seems that the world was a much quieter place back then. From the porch swing you could see a hummingbird hovering over the hollyhocks and hear the noon whistle way across town. From the porch swing you could enjoy talking to family members about relatives who live far away, the news around town, or even something as simple as what grandma was going to cook for supper. Life seemed more peaceful and richer from the focal point of the porch swing.
Have you noticed that porch swings are becoming rare in our hectic busy world? We have little time to breathe, let alone time to sit and swing with a loved one. Our pace of life has also left us little time for God. We become so addicted to the rush of our busy schedules that we fail to pause and worship our Creator. God speaks to man through His Word. He is trying to flag us down in Psalm 46:10 when He whispers to us: “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth”.
How long has it been since you talked with the Lord and were quiet enough for Him to speak to you? We need to take time every day to slow down and unplug from the crazy noise of the world around us. We need to be still and allow God to sit a while with us on the porch swing of our hearts.