Column: In the still of the morning…

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Commentary by Mike Colaw

When I was a kid we used to go often to a lake in South Dakota. This is where I learned to drive a boat, waterski, and enjoy the still of the early morning. Though I have many great memories of adventure on the lake, I also have amazing memories of deep peace.

As I got a little older I remember taking my fiancé Leslie along with us on vacation. One morning we decided to wake up early and meet at the end of the dock to watch the sunrise together. There is something so beautiful about a still lake early in the morning. The fog resting on the water, the cool gentle morning breeze, the sun peeking over a horizon free from man made structures, the warm sunlight painting the sky and bursting through the clouds. The lake was so tame, no boats in sight; so quiet, no children splashing in the water just off the shore. You could take a smooth rock and skip it, and with each touch of the stone against the water the concentric ripples would go on and on. There was nothing competing with them.

It is in these moments that I had the most meaningful conversations. My mind engaged and my heart at peace. I liked Leslie a lot before these types of conversations, but it was in these moments that our relationship reached new depths. Delightfully, deeply satisfying in a non-sensual way.

I believe this is how our relationship with Jesus should work, too. Ideally it shouldn’t be rushed, though that isn’t always possible. You should find a time and place to drink deep of his love letter we call the Bible. Let his ways and nature speak to you. Pause and think, reply back through journaling and prayer. Carve out time. Drink deep of that beautiful ancient text. See, it not only serves as a picture of the past, but a window into something metaphysically magnificent. This act mirrors the way Jesus lived. Luke 5:16, “… Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

While I do love the rigorous academic work of Bible study, I equally enjoy the way my relationship with Jesus satisfies me so deeply. As I grow intellectually I engage my mind, as I grow spiritually I still my soul, and my heart longs for both.


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