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I Learned Calvinism in a Quiet Place

By: Thomas F. Booher



Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

I don't like the phrase "quiet time." It sounds very suspicious to me. What do you do in your "quiet time" with the Lord? Mind meld with Him? Is this simply where you get serious about God and think of Him? It's too squishy a term for me. What I do like, however, is a quiet place. 

A quiet place is concrete. We know what someone is talking about when they say they need to get away and have some peace and quiet. They need a break from the noise, to rest, and to think. 

Just as I typed that last sentence, my baby started crying in the other room. It's been like this for nearly four months now. This is the very reason why I haven't been blogging much at all lately. I have no quiet place. 

Not having a quiet place isn't only detrimental for blogging. It's detrimental spiritually. I live with my wife and son in a one bedroom apartment. His cries pierce through the walls. My wife is exhausted from watching Peter all day, and I am tired from work and seminary. We help each other of course, but neither of us have a quiet place to just rest, and think, and pray, and hear God speak to us through His Word. 

My Dad's computer room reminded me of this over Christmas break. It jolted me, took me back to a sweet time. It was right after I had returned from a public university where I first heard of Calvinism. I returned home, and in the quiet of that little computer room, with its long table and the comfort of books and bookshelves around me, I learned of God's sovereign grace over dark chocolate and cups of coffee. I learned that He chose me. And I had hours and hours of quiet to reflect on these great truths. I had peace and quiet to plumb the depths of Scripture, to praise God for who He is, to write about what I have learned. I grew spiritually, I looked forward to prayer and study of God's Word, I looked forward to meditating on God and His law day and night, because I had a quiet place.  

Yes, my son just started crying again. But God has used Peter to show me that I need to take time to get alone, and find a quiet place. Jesus Himself did this in the verses above. He needed to get away from His disciples, from the crowds that followed Him. He did it to commune with God. If I do that, I will find sweet communion with God again. May you all do the same, in a secret, quiet, holy place. 


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