The small gymnasium was packed with people. The room rocked with the chants and cheers of the exuberant fans. Every few minutes the piercing peal of the buzzer screeched above the roar of the rabid spectators. Six-month-old Addyson Lee Lynn was taking no delight in this high-decibel sporting event.
I took her in my arms and walked away from the crowded bleachers. In the corner of the gym I held her close to my chest. Her right ear was pressed against me and a little blanket covered her left ear. The raucous noise continued to resound through the room but I could sense Addy starting to relax.
She kept the side of her face pressed tightly against me, popping up only occasionally to peek at me, then quickly burrowing herself back in again. I talked to her a little, sang a little, hummed a little, and bounced/patted a lot. At some point my eyes opened wide with awe as I saw her eyes completely closed.
Somehow, in the middle of the shouting, shrieking crowd and the blaring buzzer that would work well on a tugboat, she was able to rest. Surrounded by startling noises, she could still take a nap.
I have a blatantly biased grandfatherly theory about this experience (and I believe her other grandfather would agree). I think the beating of my heart muffled the sounds from the stands and soothed her to sleep. The regular rhythm of my heartbeat was able to serenely and steadily drown out the erratic explosion of noises all around. Addy’s secret for slumbering in the middle of the game was simply focusing on the sounds that soothed.
Maybe those of us who are slightly older than six months need this reminder for the game of life. Perhaps one key to finding a peaceful place in the middle of a world screaming with conflict and chaos is to simply hear again the heart of God. Listen to the love of God and let it soothe your stress and ease your anxiety. Focus on the love around you and within you.
The heart of God beats for you. Lean in and listen. Cuddle close and be comforted. In the safety and security of love, be blessed with rest.
Dennis Lynn
Redwood Church
