Two things came to mind as I strolled. I thought of the biblical account of God walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." Genesis 3:8. I imagined this was a regular occurrence and wondered what they talked about - or if perhaps they walked in companionable silence. (Sadly the end of the verse is "and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden because they were afraid.")
Then part of an old hymn came to mind: "I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. And he walks with me and he talks with me and tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known." True, the lyrics are more doggerel than poetry but the sentiment is meaningful. A solitary walk with the One who embodies love, friendship and intimacy is a rich source of joy. There is no reason to be frightened and hide - even in the full awareness of our frailty and imperfection.
I am grateful that I was brought up knowing the Bible well and singing hymns and songs that are rooted in my memory. They become one source of the "the voice I hear, falling on my ear."
My walk in the cool of this particular evening was a gentle and deep delight.
