The lack of silence
Silence and quietness is missing in many services of worship… You
can be quiet and prayerful before a church service, seeking God's forgiveness
and remembering God's presence rather than adding to the noise by talking
with everyone around you.
A wise saying from the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, "There
is…a time to be silent and a time to speak." Ecclesiastes
3:1,7
Being still
To be still means to silence the stream of words, thoughts, and images
that go on in your own mind. "And when you pray, do not keep on
babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their
many words." Matthew 6:7
The prophets commend silence
1. Zechariah: "Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he
has
roused himself from his holy dwelling.' " Zechariah 2:13
2. Isaiah: " 'Be silent before me, you islands.' " Isaiah
41:1
3. Habakkuk: " ' But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the
earth be
silent before him.' " Habakkuk 2:20
4. Zephaniah: " ' Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the
day of
the Lord is near.' " Zephaniah 1:7
Be still in order to hear God
" ' Be still, and know that I am God.' " Psalm 46:10
Silence and confession of sin Psalm 4:4
"When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent."
The still small voice
It is impossible to be so active and to live our lives in such a rush
that we miss God's voice speaking to us. "The Lord said, 'Go out
and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord
is about to pass by.' " 1 Kings 19:11 Elijah had to listen and
listen. For God was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire.
God was to be heard in the gentle whisper.
A gentle whisper
"And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it,
he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth
of the cave." 1 Kings 19:12-13
The need for prayer for God's help
"To you I call, O Lord my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For
if you remain silent, I shall be like those who have gone down to the
pit." Psalm 28:1 Silence sometimes speaks louder than words. And
it is only in a silence that we hear God's gentle whisper.
The need for forgiveness
God is sometimes silent because we have refused to listen to what he
has already said.
" ' But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed
when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would
not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; . . . Then
they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but
will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear
the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of
their schemes.' " Proverbs 1:24-26; 28-31
