A Cup Of Tea With God

I’ve been visiting friends in Wales and they’ve shown me some beautiful and interesting sites.  One day they took me to the town of Hay-On-Wye which is known as the book capital.  The streets are narrow, and winding along gentle slopes.  There is a castle and a church dating back as far as 1070AD.  Surrounding this small town are valleys and hills, and at this time of year the colors are bright with bronze and yellow autumn leaves.

It was raining the day we visited, but even the grey wet of the sky didn’t take away from the charm of the town.  We walked along, peering inside old bookshops, its worn, wooden planks creaking its welcome to our visit.  When the rain got too much, we ducked inside a tea shop for a refreshing drink of the hot, golden brew.  It gave us a moment to wipe the rain from our faces and catch our breath from the cold, before we set off again.  We ducked inside several tea shops that day to escape the rain for a few needed moments.  Without it I think we may have ended up being more on the miserable side than the contented one on which we found ourselves.

As I have reflected on this day, I have been reminded of our occasional spiritual walks that take place in the rain.  Life brings us sunshine and it brings us clouds and sometimes storms.  They can’t be avoided.  Life is full of stormy challenges but in our spiritual world we may stop and take a rest with God Himself.  Even if just a moment in the midst of life’s rainy days, it helps to calm our inner spirit, and to wipe the rain of despair from our faces.  Resting with God is a needed warm drink in any storm of life.

Remember the words of Jesus when He said in Matthew 11:28 NLT, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

He also said, “Come with me, by yourselves to a quiet place, and get some rest.”  Mark 6:31 NIV

Jesus understands very well the rainy days of life.  He too took time to be alone with His Father.  Remember too: While it’s great and needed, to physically get away to be alone with God, there are mad moments in anyone’s day when that is not possible, but do not fear – Escape with Him in your heart, in the quiet places  where the Holy Spirit resides, and from where He will give you His own peace, strength, and wisdom to carry on through your day.  Needed rest is only a, “Help me, Father,”  away.