Last spring, Jan and I said goodbye to our front lawn. We gave away our lawn mower and replaced the lawn with a small orchard of fruit trees, vegetables, and spices, along with other plants that complement the growth and health of the surrounding plants and trees.

This morning, I felt drawn by the Spirit to go out and sit silently in our new garden. As soon as I sat down in the stillness of the early morning, I felt God’s presence surround me. I felt Him encompass my bare feet, my empty and open arms, and the rest of my body. I was having a full-body encounter with the Lord. I was experiencing the enveloping presence of God.

The experience was not some form of spiritual mysticism. It was the literal impact of God’s presence on a human body. As I was being surrounded by the Lord, a deep peace entered my soul.

Every life has a place where this can happen. It’s not just in a small-town thing; it can occur in the density and hustle and bustle of a large city. It can happen when life overwhelms us, and we cannot figure out our next step. It can occur when a life-threatening disease visits our body, or when a significant personal loss takes place. In every aspect of our lives and in every situation, the garden of God’s presence is always there, ready to envelop our lives with His presence.

God’s presence is the garden of our peace. In that garden, He will speak to us in a language only the Spirit can speak. God’s invitation to sit and rest with Him has the power to lead us out of a stalemated spiritual mindset to a place where the peace of God awaits our arrival.

God’s peace will dissipate the incessant need to always be doing something for the Lord, instead of simply resting and waiting for Him in the garden of His presence.