Discouragement and weariness nipped at my heels like yapping
dogs. Unwelcome tears stole to the
corners of my eyes as I entered my quiet space and shut both doors. The sound of the dogs seemed farther away as
I sat on the sofa with Bible, journal, and pen at hand. I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a
deep breath. My lips quivered as I struggled
to find proper words, but gave up and decided quietness was better. I thought of my Lover and closed my eyes.
Aware of His presence, I saw a wrought iron fence that
surrounded a garden, which I entered through the diagonal corner gate. Before me in the center of the garden was a
beautiful, white, three-tiered water fountain.
Tall geysers of crystal clear sparkling water rocketed upward, and then
fell, cascading, into its base below.
Immediately, I thought, “The Water of Life, springing up to
salvation.”
As I looked down, a circular bed of smiling, purple-faced
yellow pansies decorated the base of the fountain, and I began to weep. My Amish paternal grandmother’s nickname was
“Pansy,” and as I cried, I thanked my heavenly Father for her love and years of
faithful prayer for me. To my left I
noticed a bird house atop a pole, while a small bird perched on the lower lip
of the fountain to take a drink.
Enjoying the melody of the fountain, I walked past the
birdhouse to a canopy swing on the soft green grass, and invited my Lover to join
me. We sat in peaceful silence for
awhile before I noticed a lidded brown box close to the fountain. I turned to Him. A bit timid, I gathered my courage and asked,
“What’s in the box?” Immediately I knew
it contained my disappointments and weariness, and I began to weep. I spoke in a whisper. “I give You all my
weariness, all my disappointments; please refresh every part of me.”
He stood beside me in companionable silence, never demanding
anything. My heart lifted and I felt
deeply loved, understood, warmed, and comforted. Then my day called, and the interruption
annoyed me. I looked at Him and said, “I
have to go.”
The next day I went back to the garden with eagerness, and
again invited my Lover to join me. A
golden shaft of sunlight streamed onto the green grass as we sat together on
the swing. Again the box by the fountain
caught my attention. My Lover looked at
me and suggested, “Let’s open it together.”
He walked with me to the box, bent down and lifted the lid. My heart leapt with surprised delight when,
instead of disappointments, I saw beautiful jewels and necklaces! In the bottom of the box were His love
letters to me. I made a mental note of
the desire that filled my heart -- the desire to read His Words.
Oh how I loved Him; there was no reproach in His look – just
acceptance of me and understanding of the world I live in. He reached out a hand to me, and we smiled at
each other. In playful abandon I grasped
both His hands as we swirled across the soft green grass.
If those dogs try to hound me again, I know where to find my
garden.
Copyright © 2015 Elaine Beachy
