My heart yearns for each time I am able to get outside in the great outdoors to a special place where I can intimately commune with God. These times are very important to me as I feel the most connected to the Source of all that is before me.

The day to day grind of work and responsibilities are repetitive and almost mind-numbing as they have me on "auto-pilot" most of the time. Long hours are spent indoors in various buildings controlled by air-conditioning, automated air fresheners, paging systems, alarms going off, and intrusive phones ringing incessantly, not to mention the four windowless walls of my office.

Recently I have discovered I'm Vitamin D deficient simply due to having to be inside so much. Even though I do my best to walk during my lunch breaks at the local park and get outside when I can, it is still not adequate and physically I find myself compromised. Even my body is telling me I need the outdoors! I do enjoy the outdoors and even have a favourite place I like to go.

My personal sanctuary is the beach. I just love the therapeutic sound of the waves gently rolling back and forth, lulling me into a most relaxed state, while lapping at my bare feet, as I talk to God our Father.

Sun, Sea, Salty Surf, Seaweed, Seashells, and Seagulls in the Simplicity of Solitude

Even though I try to get to the beach as much as possible it never seems to be enough for me because my visits have been so random. When I do get there though, and as I walk from the car park onto the warm inviting white pristine sand, and hear the sound of the subtle squeaking noise as my feet move in tandem, I find myself laughing out loud for joy. I can't seem to stop laughing because everything God has made is so perfectly wonderful; I just constantly take delight in it...even the jellyfish! The squeaking sound of the sand reminds me of the same noise when walking in snow at Sun Valley just a few years ago when attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Bend, Oregon ... this gives me joy too as I recount amazing memories and feel connected to my spiritual family so far away geographically.

Sand now will always provoke thoughts about being one of Abraham's descendants as the scripture says in Genesis 22:17 and Hebrews 11:12. I meditate on the promise made by God to Abraham and take delight and comfort in that covenant. The seemingly infinite number of grains of sand, too numerous to count, just like all the peoples of the nations who will one day come into their inheritance.

As I walk along the shore marvelling at the azure blue skies, the beauty of the sea with its various colours of blue, grey, aqua, lighter blues and ribbons of green along the sand banks, I can't help but give thanks to Him. My eyes and ears enjoy a veritable feast, while other senses take delight also. The light, balmy breeze wafts past gently as if caressing my skin and moves my hair about as I enjoy the tingling sensation. I imagine I am being touched by God as His child in a loving manner.

Walking for miles, passing jetties and collecting "just another" shell, my mind is cleared from all the clutter of the man-made concrete jungles I have escaped from. Now that I am deeply relaxed and every remnant of the world has been reduced down to where I can think clearly, I find myself at one with God because I'm far from anything and everything that held multiple distractions for me.

Nobody knows I'm here except for God and myself. We can "talk" for hours together and laugh about so many things while I seek His will for my life. Firstly I like to start with the scripture in Isaiah 1:18 " "Come now, and let us reason together", says the LORD" and go from there. I can think and hear God most plainly outdoors and if I look carefully I can see absolutely no evidence of anything such as buildings, structures or items that remind me that man was here. I feel totally connected and free to talk out loud, even shout and cry out. There is something incredibly fulfilling, in causing words to be uttered and spoken out, rather than just thinking these words. I've come to treasure Psalm 119 and relate to verses 145-146 "I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD! I will keep your statutes. I cry out to you; save me, and I will keep your testimonies".

Isolated Intimacy

My formal prayers at home on my knees need a "pick-me-up" with regular wilderness sanctuary experiences. If I can borrow a fast becoming favourite phrase of mine from the apostle Peter in the bible, I would like to ask "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:38). Indeed what shall I do? It would naturally follow then and only seem wise to experience such a beautiful wilderness opportunity each and every week in line with the day of rest if possible. This is one of my goals to work towards achieving.

God's sanctuary in the wilderness has no walls, no artificial sights, sounds or smells. As I breathe in deeply of the fresh air all the while marvelling at how God created the vast depths of the deep (Job 38:8-11) the way He fashioned the shells just for us to enjoy, and the way the seagulls fly about eagerly looking for a feed, my heart bursts into song with praise for the mighty power of God.

So whether you enjoy the beach, lush pine forests, the mountains, an olive grove, the desert or outback, or some other wilderness sanctuary only you and God share, I encourage everyone to get out there and get up close and personal with our beloved Father. Let's use the perfect examples provided of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ who both sought out the wilderness eagerly knowing that isolated intimacy is just so important. You can read of some of these accounts in Mathew 14:22-23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:15-16, Luke 6:12, and Luke 1:80.