I was working as a camp counselor in a children’s camp one summer, shepherding (or herding) a crowd of kids in 1st through 3rd grade. Late one night, probably about 9 p.m., our Program Director, Rev. Tim Heitz, gathered all of our children together in preparation for a very unique adventure. He was going to march us out into the woods. And, no, we could not bring our flashlights. This rule left us, quite literally, in the dark.

Of course, the kids initially “freaked out”. They were frightened. They could not see their fellow campers right in front of them; they could not even see themselves; they could not see the ground on which they were walking. It was pitch-black, and they were plainly scared. (So was I!)

Tim Heitz told us, “Now I want you to be very very quiet. I want you to observe and listen. Gradually, you’ll be able to see in the dark. Your ears will begin to adjust to all the sounds around you. Just be very quiet, very still. Stop, look, and listen!”

And he was right. Gradually we were able to see those around us, and then the shrubs and trees that were further away. We began to hear new sounds and rustlings nearby. Our little campers were enthralled. For they had succeeded in making a connection with the Creator and His creation.

So it is with us. All around is both the seen and the unseen, the heard and the unheard. Eternity touches each moment of time like two gears meshing together. All the time the Eternal God is in our midst, whispering, “I AM HERE.” May we quiet our hearts and minds to see that which is invisible and to hear the whispered message of His love. Stop, Look, and Listen!

Albert Einstein wrote,