「獨自退到野地去。」－馬太福音 14:13
「休止符讓音樂嚘然而止，卻也孕育著另一段全新的音樂。」
在我們生命的樂章中，常不時散落著一個又一個的休止符，愚昧的我們誤以為這就是音樂的終止。難熬的閒暇、纏磨的病痛、空盼的計畫、受挫的努力，使平順的生活突然停頓；我們嘆息我們已經不能再有樂音，不能再向造物主唱頌。
但音樂家怎麼看待休止符呢？他持續揮舞雙手，沒有少算任何一個節拍，就像樂曲絲毫沒有停頓一樣；因為他知道，音樂仍在往前。
神譜寫我們人生的樂章，也不是漫無章法的。我們需要學習照著旋律歌唱，不因著休止符而灰心，因為它們是不可忽視，也不可刪除的。樂曲不會因著休止符的出現崩毀，也不會因而改變調性。
若我們仰望神，會發現祂正在為我們數著拍子。只要定睛望著祂，我們就能精準的唱出下一段曲調。當我們沮喪的埋怨著休止符中沒有音樂時，別忘了，另一段更美的音樂正悄悄醞釀著。
雖然醞釀的過程總是漫長難熬，但神願意讓我們學習忍耐，直到一段更優美的旋律在我們心田奏起。－羅斯金
"Into a desert place apart" (Matt. 14:13)."There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it." In our whole life-melody the music is broken off here and there by "rests," and we foolishly think we have come to the end of the tune. God sends a time of forced leisure, sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts, and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives; and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator. How does the musician read the "rest"? See him beat the time with unvarying count, and catch up the next note true and steady, as if no breaking place had come between.
Not without design does God write the music of our lives. Be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the "rests." They are not to be slurred over, not to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear. If we sadly say to ourselves, "There is no music in a 'rest,'" let us not forget "there is the making of music in it." The making of music is often a slow and painful process in this life. How patiently God works to teach us! How long He waits for us to learn the lesson! --Ruskin
