In the stillness, He is there

Today I went for a run in Blue Ash to get a better feel of the park we’ll be meeting at to run/walk on Saturday mornings in October. I’ve gone once before and loved the serene setting.  A year ago, this park was a working airport.  When I was working last year my office was across the street from this park.  From our windows we could see and hear airplanes coming and going throughout the day.  I would enjoy catching glimpses of small planes throughout the day. Sometime in the last year the city announced it would be turning the airport into a community park.  When I first saw the designs for the new park I was impressed.  They will have a lot of great spaces and activities available at the park when it’s complete.  For the last few months they have been working on making changes to convert the airport into a park.

Today as I ran I only saw a few people taking advantage of the park.  I imagine as the park nears completion it will get busier. For now, it’s an ideal place to run and/or walk.  There are wood chip paths throughout wooded settings. I prefer to run on the concrete and today I stayed on the old airport runway. Last time I went I did a little path running as well as the concrete runway.  My knees appreciate the concrete better. For the second half of my run I was completely alone on the runway today.  Birds flew bye, calling out a greeting to me as they went by.  Though I could see trucks working in the distance, it was eerily quiet.  The sun was up and shining down on me.  I was alone, but I knew I wasn’t.  I try to spend time in prayer while I run.  It helps me multi-task my time. But in all honesty, it’s difficult to be in a setting that is screaming that there is a loving, intelligent creator looking down on us and not offer up thanks to Him.

In the middle of this corporate town, there’s this small piece of heaven.  I am sure others drive by it everyday without giving it a second glance.  Today as I ran through the heart of this park I marveled at the world we live in.  Our skies can display amazing varieties of colors. This time of year even the trees become a beautiful tapestry. Not far this this secluded area, people drove by who were hurriedly going from one thing to another.  Tons of office buildings are within walking distance, full of people engrossed in doing whatever they can to make more money to provide for themselves and their family.  I wondered how many of them have taken the time to slow down and go for a walk at this park.  This park that is a quiet reminder that in the midst of our chaos, there is a loving Creator who made our earth and designed it in such a way as to give us pleasure simply by looking at it.

I’m blessed to get the chance to take time today, and many days, to stop and enjoy the world I live in.  Do you make time to revel in the majesty of the created world around you? Do you see then fingerprints of God in the trees, flowers, animals, and sky?  Do you take time to thank Him for giving us these daily reminders of His presence in our world?

Today I challenge you to look for a place near your home or work where can find solitude and connect with our Creator. He made this world for you, because He loves you.  He desires to connect with you, in the middle of the chaos all around you.  Today I encourage you to make time to be still and know He’s there.

Psalm 46:10

New International Version (NIV)