Experiencing God's Presence in Quiet

Elk Lake viewed from atop Nippletop (El.4620)

There's lots of quiet when you're hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks region of New York.  The rugged beauty of the lakes, brooks and mountains quiets me.  During my recent hiking trip, I experienced the welcomed afternoon breezes that swept over me, that cooled and refreshed my body and soul.  Those breezes felt like the presence of God, and reminded me of Genesis 3:8a, which has been paraphrased or translated in ways that reminded me of what I felt during my hike.  Here are the translations that most captured what I experienced on the hike:

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool [afternoon breeze] of the day (Amplified Version)

When they heard the sound of OD strolling in the garden in the evening breeze (The Message)

Late in the afternoon a breeze began to blow, and the man and woman heard then LORD God walking in the garden (Contemporary English Version)

And when they heard the voice of the Lord God going in paradise at the wind after midday (Wycliffe Bible)

The idea that God, the creator of the world and the garden of Eden, was walking about in the garden, that he had a voice, that he would be heard by his beloved creatures, Adam and Eve, is a wonderful picture of the relationship He aims to forge with us.

Sadly, however, this verse is immediately followed by the verse that describes Adam and Eve attempting to run and hide from God.  Instead of running to Him in trust and free communion, as they had on previous days, their disobedience earlier that day brought shame, which caused them to run from Him.  Instead of being their highest delight, communion with the heavenly Father was no longer their highest delight, but was shunned as something evil.  On top of that, their minds become so disturbed that they actually thought they can hide from an omniscient and omnipresent God.  

So although its on me that I miss God's presence by my own missing the mark, the saving grace of Jesus Christ restores me once again.  With His restoring work, I can again hear the voice of God, and hear him strolling nearby not just in the cool breezes of the Adirondack High Peaks, but in the many other places and situations I walk.